
Class 
Book 






Gopyiight^ 




COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT, 



The Wandering Yankee 



The Wandering Yankee 



or, 



The Fun of Seeing Canada. 



BY 

ANSON A. CARD, 

author of 

My Friend Bill, 

The Yankee in Quebec, 

Gard's Log Book, 

National Hymn to the Flag, 

The Cuban Battle Hymn, 

Some Dked of Worth, 

Etc., Etc. 



Published by 

THE EMERSON PRESS, 

120 Liberty Strelt, NE^v York. 



. FT 



Tfb" LIBRARY OF 
CONGRESS, 

Two Com&B Reckived 

AUG. 15 1902 

COPVBKJHT BMTRV 

CUA88 C^ XXa No, 

3 c^ 3 '2.^ 

PY B. 



OOI 



WG\t 




©eCfcicntioiK 

When one reaches a new country, one is not long 
therein until one learns who are the great men of 
that country. There will be in every city, local 
celebrities, men whom all accord the place of honor, 
but whose very names are often unknown outside the 
city limits. Again there are men whose names are 
known to the furthest corners of the land — known 
but not honored. Still, again, there may be a man 
whose very name brings a pleasing throb to the 
hearts of the humblest,— to the very boundaries of 
the Dominion. Go where you may, seek out the 
humble or the proud, and each will vie with the other 
in doing a loving homage to this man of worth. 

When I thought to write of Montreal, I instinc- 
tively thought of the man to whom I wished to dedi- 
cate my work ; but I could scarcely hope to be granted 
the honor, and yet I would ask the honor. Not be- 
cause of his wealth or title— I care for neither; but 
because he was a man whose principles I could 
admire; because he was a man whom all his fellow 
men could love. I asked that honor. I asked to be 
allow^ed to dedicate my work to him. '' Grant me 
the privilege," I wrote, '' it will help me put forth my 
best efforts." In the most pleasing letter I have 
ever received, he replied, '' I gladly accede to your 
request." And 1 now herewith dedicate my humble 
effort to the man whom ''The nation delighteth to 
honor," 

Cord Stratftcona and ^ount BogaL 



I 



INTRODUCTION 



'' Colonel." said I, one day, " I wish I knew 
some genial spirit, like yourself, in Montreal, 
I'd go over and see if I could find any fun in 
hunting up the old and getting acquainted with 
the new of that city." 

'^ Fun !" said the Colonel, with emphasis on 
the word, but more in his look: "Why, Rube, 
3'ou'd find fun, as you call it, in a desert I" 

'' Well, Colonel, is that surprising? We must 
all find an occasional oasis in this Desert we 
call Life, else it would be one vast Sahara. ^Nly 
aim is to find the Oasis while the rest of the 
world go worrying over the Sands; then if I 
can share these oases with the passing travel- 
er — make him forget for the time the ills and 
smile with me at the joys, I have done more of 
real worth than had I discovered a new star 
of the " Steenth ' magnitude, or found the vari- 
ety of timber of which the North Pole is made. 
The world can do without the Star or worry 
along without the pole, but the world must 
needs have broken the monotony of life, and I 
mean to not only tell things but do my part to- 
ward the breaking. Yes, Colonel, if I knew 
some genial spirit in Montreal, I'd go over and 
see if I could find any fun while searching ont 
the interesting features of Canada's great me- 
tropolis." 



Introdiidion. 

" Rube, let me tell you one thing right here. 
You will find Montreal a social zero. The peo- 
ple even freeze each other in their effort to 
hold their places. They never warm up lest \i 
wouldn't be proper." 

- ^ee, here Colonel, I'll wager that you've 
got that story from some ' nobody ' who would 
not have been received in one of our own vil- 
lag(^s, much less in the society of our cities, 
and he calls Montreal cold because it would 
not throw its social doors open to him. When 
I hear a man express an opinion on a city or its 
people, I must first know the man before I give 
heed to his opinion, and even then I prefer see- 
ing the city and its people before forming aiiy 
opinion whatever of them." 

" Rube, you may be right, but I know a man 
of unblemished character, who was and is t'je 
associate of our own Generals, Senators, and is 
even recognized by our President who was two 
months in Montreal before he was invited out 
to dinner and even then the inviter changed 
his mind, at the last minute, and took hvn 
around the corner and offered him a drink." 

" Colonel Horatius— you're a— well, no mat- 
ter. I'm going over to Montreal, and Til 
wager you a Windsor dinner Til find it all 
right." ^ 

And here I be, ready to win that dinner. 
Th(^ Cohinel, Avlio is never a busy man, has i)ro- 
mised frequent visits to the Island City during 
my stay, and I assure you I will make good use 
of him since you all seemed to like him well in 
'' The Yankee In Quebec," throughout which he 
played no insignificant i^art. 



^ht Wlanbijnng lj)anhce. 



'• There is no North, no South !" has riin,2: up 
and down throughout the length and breadth of 
our hind ! It has been ''Fourth of Julied " from 
the remotest Cross Roads to the stages of our 
great cities — and, no doubt, will continue +^ 
^' ring -' until our orators find something new to 
orate about. 

This is all right for the States, but it would 
never do for Montreal. Wh^, Montreal has 
" four " Norths — North, due North, magnetic 
North and Montreal North, and with them all 
the sun rises in the South straight down Peel 
street, past the Windsor. 

Neither the Colonel nor I can account for 
this. He says it may be owing to Montreal be- 
ing on an island, or that it is bent out of plumb 
by the mountain at the edge of town, while 
Matt Quay's friend, John Conkling simply 
says: "Montreal, you're crooked, and have 
been ever since those New York aldermen got 
to coming up here !" As John is from near 
Philadelphia and used to help run its politics. 



12 The Wander in (J" Yankee. 



John ought to be authority on anything "crook- 
ed," so we will let it go at that. Yes, children, 
Montreal is on an island of the same name. 
You may have known it but I didn't. The Ot- 
tawa river, comes down, and divides itself up 
indiscriminately- among a lot of islands in try- 
ing to join itself to the St. Lawrence, and, apro- 
pos of the " joining " it's almost like trying 
to mix oil and water — one of them is mineral, 
clear and blue, while the other is vegetable — 
yellow and thick — one so unlike the other in 
color that you can see the line between the two 
distinctly marked for many miles down the 
river past the city. This island on which the 
city and mountain stand is about 30 miles long, 
and at the widest point 10 miles in width. 

Montreal has had so many aliases that it is a 
wonder it can recognize itself. It started out 
as an Indian town called 

HOCHELAGA, 

then it was called 

VILLE MARIE 

'' the city of Mary." It next was 

MOUNT ROYAL 

so called from the mountain. Finally this last 
named became 

MONTREAL 

or as the French would say, " Mo'real." The 
" nt " being silent— like about one half of the 



The Wandering Yankee. 13 

letters in all their words seem to be until one 
wonders why they use them at all, in this busy 
age of shortening everything up to the limit. 

Montreal waited 43 years — to be discovered 
— after Columbus made his historical entry, in- 
to the Continent. 

WHEN JACQUES CARTIER CAME TO 
TOWN 

(pronounce Gshok Karcha). Cartier came over, 
you know, from France along in the thirties to 
discover the Stadoconas, at Quebec. The Sta- 
daconas were named after a Fishing and Hunt- 
ing Club out on the Quebec and Lake St. John 
Railway. After having properly discovered 
them he started up the river to visit the Hoci'<^ 
lagans, much against the will of the aforesaid 
Stadaconas who were afraid that " Gshak's " 
supply of beads would run out before his re- 
turn. They did everything possible except to 
use force to detain him, pretending to have a 
great love for him — the love increasir ^ af ^^r 
each distribution of trinkets — but he would so. 



& 



THE HOCHELAGANS, 

were expecting him as he had telegraphed to 
them that he was coming. So that on his arri- 
val at the foot of McGill street they greeted 
him and his crew with great demonstrations of 
joy — equalling if not surpassing that given a 
Duke and Duchess. They were so new^ to all of 
them. This was on the evening of Oct. 2, 1535. 
They would have had Jacques come up town 
that night yet, but he wanted to make a grand 



14 



The JFaiidcriug Yankee. 



entry and preferred daylight. Early on the 
morning of the 3rd, a large delegation of Alder- 
men were down at the wharf to escort him u}). 
They were all bedecked with new paint and 
some feathers, and, no doubt, presented an im- 
posing spectacle. History does not state the 
exact line of the parade, but I, having as much 
right to make history as anyone else who don't 



.ivrr-^rF"-^ 






7> 






■<;» 



:r->-^L 



-\J 






illllll 



^2V£j 



THE WELCOME. 

know, will state positively that the line of 
march was up McGill street to Victoria Square, 
through the centre of which '^ ran " Craig 
street, which they crossed by ' swimming ' — a 
custom extending down to the present day. 
The aldermen not being civilized were conse 



The Wandering Yankee. 



Jo 



qiiently honest, and as the party emerged 
'' from '- the street they explained to Cartier 
that they found it impossible for them to get 
rich themselves, and, at the same time, keep 
their streets in passable condition — save by 
canoes. After tlie^- had swam Craig street, 
they came up Beaver Hall Hill to Phillips 
Square, crossed St. Catherine, thence out 
Union avenue past the Colonial House to Sher- 
brooke, up which they led the way to their 
town proper, located just south of Sherbrooke, 
—across the way from McGill College — at 
Mansfield and Metcalf streets, and North of 
Burnside. 




THE HOBSONISINC; OP MR. JACQUES CARTIER. 

From Cartier's report, which he furnished to 
all the Guide Books of •'■ Hochelaga," he must 
have had an interesting, if not a hilarious time, 
when he got into the circular town proper. 
Jacques was not only a real hero of the Mer- 
rimac sinking type, but a very brave man as 
well, for as he admits 



16 The Wandering Yankee. 

ALL THE WOMEN KISSED HIM. 

" Brave man," for to have been thus Hobson- 
ized in so general a way would have called for 
a high degree of bravery — unless perchance the 
Hochelaganesses were '^ The Beautiful Indian 
Maidens " who existed in old historic times. Tn 
that case the Colonel— a brave ladies' man — 
says Jacques Cartier, was realh- an object of 
envy. The Colonel also seems to think that 
there was some error about his being a mar- 
ried man as he would never have men- 
tioned this particular fact, had he beei*- 

Jacques is said to have been the first man to 
exclaim: 

'' HOCH DER KI(S)SER !" 

After Jacques had gone through this ordeal 
(?) the Mayor of the city, Agou Hanna, deliver- 
ed the customary speech of welcome, a spee^^h 
of the usual length — and interest. There is no 
record extant as to what particular branch of 
the Hanna family Agou belonged to, but it is 
supposed to be the same from which ^' Marl; " 
sprang, as the propensity to " Boss " runs so 
generally through the lines of the two in ques- 
tion. 

HONOURS OF CARTIER. 

I would dearly love to tell you more of this 
Cartier story, but space forbids. But I must 
dwell long enough to say that Jacques is down 
in all the books as one of the real characters of 
Early Canada. They pay him all sorts of hon- 
ours here in Montreal — where the}^ have nan?'''<l 
Rubber Shoe and Pulp Companies for him, 



The Wandering fanJcee. 



17 



given liim a Square — on which they have built 
some one else's monument at one end, and used 
all the balance as a market where anv market 










THE MAVOR ADDRESSING JACQUES CAKTIER 

morning you can take your basket and buy 
anything 3^ou wish from a ''hand'' of home rais- 
ed tobacco to a 300 pound shoat — and do 
many other things to honor his name. Yes, 



18 The Wander in or Yankee. 



^ 



Jacques Cartier was a real hero, — but he didu't 
stay long' enough in town to get to know it as 
he should, else he would not have come in on 
Oct. 2nd., and gone away on the 4th. I got here 
myself one day and wanted to get out the next, 
l)ut didn't have the price — now I like it so well I 
could stay always. Cartier wanted to have 
gone on up the river to Caughnawaga, but the 
Lachine Canal wasn't completed yet and he 
couldn't get up the rapids w^est of towm, so he 
returned to Quebec, 190 miles down the river. 
It was a long time — 76 years — until the next 
pioneer happened this way, then 

SAMUEL CHAMPLAIN 

found himself on the scene. He came across 
from France, stopping at Quebec long enough 
to found it, (in IGOS), and get it in runninu; 
order. He came up the river in IGll and 
founded a trading post on the old Custom 
House Square afterwards called "' La Placi* 
Koyale." 

MAISONNEUYE. 

Paul de Chom^dy, Sieur de Maisonneuve, 
with the Governor, De Montmagny Father Y'l 
mont, a Jesuit, Mile. Mance, one other woman, 
and fifty-five men, on May 18th, 1G42, landed 
and founded Yille Marie. 

The Indians had, since the Jacques Cartier 
days of 107 years previous, done so much fight- 
ing anu)ng themselves, that they had lost all 
their former hospitality, and Maisonneuve had 



The Wandering Yankee. 19 

to build a picket fort, and for a great many 
years the settlers had to keep within its 
bounds, lest they be attacked by the savage 
Ir()(|uois. 

ORIGINAL LIMITS. 

The original village was very small. It t-x- 
tended north and south, back from the river to 
Fortification Lane, between St. James and 
Craig streets, and east and west from Dalhou- 
sie. Square, (Place Viger Station of the C.P.R.) 
to McGill street. It was really an island, as 
small creeks surrounded it on all sides. Craig 
street was then a considerable stream. River 
a Pierre, and if anything more navigable than 
at present. 

THE PLACE D'ARMES 

was then, as it is now, the business centre of the 
town, and since Maisonneuve figured so largely 
in those olden days, it is most appropriate that 
the really beautiful monument to him should 
stand as it does in the centre of this square, 
all about which are the great Bank of Montreal 
(with its millions of capital, making it one of 
the strongest monied institutions on the Con- 
tinent), some of the largest insurance build- 
ings in the city, and many other fine business 
institutions. But that which w^ill be of most 
interest to the tourist is the great church of 
Notre Dame and the old Seminary of St. Sul- 
pice across Notre Dame street to the soutls. 
The church will be noted among "The Church>^s 
of Montreal " further along. There are some 



20 The Wandering Yankee. 

TABLETS 

on buildings facing this Square, put there bv 
the Antiquarian Society which is wisely mark- 
ing the spots of historical interest in all parts 
of the old Ville Marie. This Society, how- 
ever seems to take it for granted that the 
English-speaking public know all about it, as 
the tablets are mostly in Frencli. 

RUBE REDISCOVERS MONTREAL. 

Having rediscovered Montreal, I am here to 
see this city and simply w^auder around, pick 
up what I can during the winter, give you an 
occasional impression of its sports, peojile, and 
w^hatever occurs worth noting, with no order 
of arrangement, just as you would find it were 
you to drop into town in the early part of win- 
ter to remain until the blossoms come again. 
At first I was disappointed as see my sketch 
on. 

WINTER SPORTS IN CANADA. 

It's Christmas Day. The Colonel and I refus- 
ed all invitations to dinner, (the invitations 
are to be framed in gold and marked " exhibit 
A") and dined with the bride and groom, from 
Princeton and Baltimore respectively, who said 
they were going to have a little " play dinner " 
in their rooms, and have things '' just like 
mother used to." Say, ^'mother " (they did 
not say which one's) must have had things fine 
at her Christmas dinners ! At any rate, the 
Colonel and I will never, never forget the 



The Wandering Yankee. 21 



"Play Dinner," Christmas Day of 1901. It's 
now late and the Colonel is not over it yet, 
but that's not telling you of " winter sports in 
Canada." I want to meet the man who in- 
vented those four words, and put them toge- 
ther ! Here it is Dec. 2.5, and all in the world 
that " the only Percy " or genial " Matt " Mur- 
phy can show us of " winter sports " is a skat- 
ing rink, which I thought was a flower conser- 
vatory until " Percy " told me different, and a 
lot, of pictures at the M.A.A.A. of some boys 
and girls sliding down hill on a long boaM 
which ^^ Matt " says is called " tobogganning," 
but which I could almost risk a wager, was 
taken of our old crowd, sliding down WiIso]^'s 
Hill on a plank at Tremont. " Yes, Kube," 
said " Matt," one day, while standing in front 
of this picture, " tobogganning and icepalacing 
and hockey and snowshoeing and ski ing (I 
didn't ask ' Matt ' if this was spelled ^ sking' or 
^ skying ' or 'ski ing ' — at any rate, that's what 
'IMatt ' called it) are great sport." "Yes," said 
I, " but when do you do it ? Now^ I can't wait 
around up here till next summer just to have 
you prove that these pictures were not taken 
down there on the Fort Lee Hill — where every- 
thing slides all theyear around. No, I want to see 
for myself." Then he took me down there where 
they have since built a beautiful shrine to a 
man wiiose greatness should have warranted 
him a monument instead, and showed me 
where had once stood an ice palace. " Here is 
where we icepalaced in 1880. Oh, it was a 
splendid spectacle." " Yes, I hear all that, but 
what did you build it out of ?" " Why, ice, of 
course, what do you suppose ?" pityingly. 



22 The Wandering Yankee. 

" Well, I really don't know. You, i^eople n^) 
here, have a Ava^' of building things that I can't 
follow the plans of. Some of 3^ou built that 
sentence ' A\'inter Sports in Canada,' and 
flooded our country with its photograph until 
you even made me bring all my winter clothes 
with me last June, then ^roasted' me after you 
got me up here. I tell you ' Matt,' it looks like 
a scheme of your tailors and haberdashers to 
make us bring out-o'-season clothes, then, in 
self-defence, buy their stock — why, I expected 
to, at least, find the ruins of your last i)alace, 
if not the palace itself, and all you show me is 
this shrine where it stood, and tell me, 'Oh, it 
was a beautiful spectacle !' I tell you ' Matt,' 
it would take a very strong pair of them to 
'see ' this ' winter sports in Canada ' business." 

" Rube, don't get impatient, we'll show you 
yet I" Here it is Christmas and he has only 
showed me the photograph. '' Brown, here," 
said " ^latt " one day, at the '' Alphabetical 
Club " — " can bear me out." 

Then Brown produced a pamphlet of the 
long ago, and let me read what Luke Sharp 
had said on tobogganing, and told me, " Rube, 
just wait. I'll let Baton take you down, and 
' Luke Sharp ' that he don't open your eyes !" 

"• Thirty days I" said I, and he deserved it. 

I met a hackman the other day. Boor fel- 
low, I felt sorry for him. He was lamenting 
the hard times. Said he: "You, Yankees, come 
up here and won't ride unless we can haul you 
around in sleighs !" That explained the mud 
sleighing they do. I couldn't understand it 
before. YYhy, I do think Montreal can do more 
sleighing on slight provocation than any place 



The Wandering Yankee. 23 

1 ever saw. Tliey start as soon as it begii^is 
snowing and keep it up until the rain drives 
them in, which usually is in a very short while. 
But there, the Colonel is waking '' What ? No. 
I ^-an't— I'm broke." He wants me to go out 
and buy him some ice. The Colonel is always 
Avanting some luxury or other. " Winter 
Sports in Canada !" Dont' you believe it." 

TOBOGGANNING. 

/ 

'' You see it happened this way, when I read 
to The Only Percy and Matt Murphy what 1 
had to say about ' Winter Sports in Canada,' 1 
saw at once that they felt something must be 
done to save the reputation of the aforesaid 
' Sports,' else when my book got down into the 
States, the other Yankees would see that for 
years they had been laboring under a delusion 
about Canada being a place where everything 
is frozen up and the people have nothing to do 
during the long winter months but build ice 
palaces and feed its polar bears. '' Percy,'' 
said Matt, '' something must be done, else 
Ivube here will ruin the reputation of our win- 
ter sports." '' Yes, Matt," said Percy, " but 
what can we do, with the thermometer at 20 
degrees above Weehawken and still rising ?" 

'' Leave that to me 1" said Matt, and that 
was all I knew of his intentions until one day 
about a week later, I read in the '' Gazette " a 
prognostication from the pen of Montreal's 
Devoe, Prof. Perrin. It ran something like 
this. '' Get out your skates, toboggans and 
snowshoes. A severe cold wave is coming. It 
left Arkansas vesterday at 12.29 for the Gulf, 



24 



The Wandering Yankee. 



wliere it will reverse sails, come up the Missis- 
sipi ^^aUej', veer easterl}^ hy north across the 
Muskingum, reach Hackensack about Sun- 
day-school time, and from thence, westerly by 
north, touch Chicago, near the Stock Yards, at 
1*3.40 Intercolonial time, play around among 
the lakes on its way down the St. Lawrence 
and be here for breakfast on Wednesday." 




When I read this I saw that Perrin had been 
" seen " by Matt, and as this great producer of 
weather had never been known to fail, I felt: 
''I might as well take my duster down to uncle 
Lazzarus, get what I can on it and buy an 
overcoat.'' It was lucky for me that I did, for 
sure enough the snow began to fall on schedule 
time, and kept it up until it must have been 
fully five inches deep by Saturday. I couldn't 
imagine at first why the small boy and his sis- 
ter seemed so hilarious, but was told after- 



The Wandering Yankee. 



wards that for four years there had been very 
little tobogganning. No wonder they were 
happy, dear children. Montreal could once 
more have real sliding and not have to content 
itself with the photograph. But, why delay the 
telling of my own toboggan ride ! Ah, that 
ride ! As I sit here in the hospital, now able 
to be wheeled to the window, I feel myself still 
going down, down that mountain slide, with all 
the thrills running up and down my frame. 
You see it had been arranged that the Colonel 
and the boys should go out to the slide with 
Will Geraughty, while Jim (I promised to for- 
get the rest of it), took me out in his sleigh. 
" Rube," said Jim, " you must have a suit to do 
this thing proper." 

" All right," said I, "but I've no time to get 
one — the snow may be gone before we reach 
there, if I have to hunt around for a suit." 

"' Let's see," said Jim, " I guess I may be 
able to find one for you that Mark Twain and 
Luke Sharp and other notables wore at various 
times, when I took them tobogganning, years 
ago." I was almost glad when he came back 
from the attic with an arm load of things, and 
said he feared the moths had eaten the old 
suit. I know I should have felt out of place in 
the suit worn by great men. 

The only thing toboggan we could find, was 
one red stocking that came well above the 
knee. This we mated with a blue checked 
golf, with a rolling top. The " pants " were a 
corduroy pair of the well " puffed " riding vari- 
ety, coat used in ice-boating and a curling cap, 
with a nice button on top. " So far so good," 
said Jim, " now you must have a ceinture to 



20 



The JVandcrino- Yankee. 



hold your coat on, and a pair of snowshoe mo- 
cassins, and you'll be fixed," both of which he 
found, but the mocassins were his, and very 
tight for me, but Jim said they'd stretch, and 
we started. 

^' We'll first go round past the M.A.A.A. (I 
don't think I've lost any of the ' A's) rink and 
toboggan slide— I want you to see the people 
who patronize the sports." 

I didn't know Montreal had so many pretty 




IJ^&^^'^'^S^ 



''M(lllif/|lliiMlii_ 











c^' ^" 



s, t. 



Th 



^f' 



EY STOPPED TOBOGGAJsrjsriNfG. 



girls as I saw that afternoon, and they were 
all so pleasant, too— why, as I walked up and 
down along that slide there was hardly one of 
all the number, but who looked at me and smil- 
ed so sweetly— some of them even stopped to- 
bogganning and laughed right out — they did 
seem so sociable. The Colonel si<id 
when he saw my toboggan suit : " Well 
Fm not surprised !" I'm going to have 



Tlic Wandering YanJccc. 



Fitz Maurice 



together — sort 

when I get out and see 



me and the suit 
group, jou know, 



draw 
of a 

if it w^ould make yoa 
smile and stop tobogganing. From this rink. 
Jim drove me up, up, up Montreal's own moun- 
tain, until we were on the very top. Oh, but 
the view from there was fine — as you looked 
out over — but I've no time to talk about views, 
this was my toboggan day. ^' Where's the 
-Colonel?" I asked of ^Yill Geraughty, who with 
Matt was waiting for us, " Why," said Will, 
'' he and Percy have just gone up, here, 
Kube, follow us," as he and Jim and Matt 
started up a long pair of stairs — Say — these 
Montreal tobogganers are not content to slide 
down the side of a mountain respectable like — 
they have gone and built a high house right on 
the top and you have to climb up a long flight 
of steps and start off the roof like a Darius 
Green learning to fly. 

'' It's just no use, I am too innocent to travel 
alone ! I never suspect anything or anybody 
until after the accident ! What do you sup- 
pose that crowd did with me? Let me tell you. 
There they stood blocking up the way on that 
steep roof, pretending to quarrel as to how 
we'd go down, and then said I must take the 
seat of honor, in front. " No," said I, " you'll 
never get me to sit in front — in fact, you won't 
get me to sit at all, I'm going to lie down like I 
used to on Wilson's Hill, at Tremont. If I 
get killed I don't want to sit up and see it 
done right before my very eyes, even if I did 
take out a |12.000 policy for this occasion !" 

" Get out of the way !" 

" Go back and sit down !" 




28 



The Wandering Yankee. 



" Come off the perch !" 

'' What's the matter up there ?" and all 
along down that waiting line were thrown all 
sorts of exclamation and interrogation points at 
me until I feared I'd need that policy before I 
even got started. They wouldn't give me time 
to tell 3'ou that a toboggan is nothing but a 
thin board, turned up at the front end, and 
long enough for a half dozen riders. " Jump 
on, quick," said Jim, " any way you please!" T 
lay down and do you believe it there wasn't 




one of them got on with me, but, quicker than 
I can tell it, they pushed me off that roof, 
alone, and I shot out like a 200 pounder with 
a 500 pound charge. Say, were you ever shot 
out of a mortar gun ?" "No, well, then you'll 
have to guess the rest. If the track had been 
straight I wouldn't so much have minded it, 
but I hadn't gone a hundred yards when I drop- 
ped clear off the earth and didn't land again 
until I reached the other side of the moat or 



The Wandcrino- Yankee. 



29 



ditch or valley or whatever they call that 'jump' 
place, and when I did land it was with a very 
large sized O, which instantly froze and veered 
over into the center slide where it struck a 
small boy. I was sorry for the poor lad, but 
he should not have been in the O zone. Down, 
down I dropped, getting more scared each sec- 
ond, (Tobogganing, you know, is done by sec- 
onds). The Empire Express was only a way 
freight in comparison to the speed I was going 
when I struck that dog, about half a mile from 
the roof. Never before had I left a track so 



r^.11 







Part of R.ub£ and 
The. Dos 



quickly as I did at that instant. I shot through 
a great wide snow bank at the side, doing the 
neatest bit of tunnel w^ork I have ever se-n 
done. I went through the wire fence, over 
piles of rock— every thing in that snow bank — 
just as though they hadn't been there. When 
I was coming to the Colonel and Percy and the 
rest of the boys were quietly discussing the 
best way to distribute that |12,000 policy— and 
talking over the good points of the " late la- 
mented." I heard the Colonel say, among 



30 



The ]Vandcving Yankee. 



other tilings, '' I always told Rube that that 
fast life of his would be the end of him yet — 
Poor Kube, he was a good fellow, but, oh, how 
^easy.' " 
Why, I felt almost gratified to think I'd been 
killed just to hear what an all round good fel- 
low I had been. One never knows how good 
one is until one has struck a dog on a Mont- 
real toboggan slide ! Apropos of 




THE MONTREAL AMBULANCE SERVICE. 

A Montreal horse that can't go better than 
1.41 is taken off the track and hitched to the 
ambulance, and when you get in' and start for 
the hospital, you instinctively feel for your 
watch— forgetting that your '' Uncle " has it — 
to see if that horse isn't making it at 1.30 oi' 
better. And, again, apropos, this time of 



THE MONTREAL HOSPITAL SERVICE. 

It is simply perfect ! Why, the nurses have 
treated me so well that I'll be sorry when I 



The Wander i}i^ Yankee. 31 



have to leave, and go out into tlie cold, cold 
world and take up my daily avocation, of hunt- 
ing for things to tell you about. You see, the 
nurses had learned that I was the same Rube, 
who in " My Friend Bill ' had paid the " nurse " 
so high and well deserved comx)liment. 

'' Which Montreal hospital am I in ?" Ex- 
cuse me. I'll not tell you, else you, too, will 
go hunting for a dog on the Mountain Slide. 
But, for that matter, I guess all the nurses in 
all the hospitals are about the same. 




You know it is a conceded fact that the best 
nurses in America, if not in the world, are 
these same Canadian girls. Why, I do not 
know, but they are. I had often heard it said, 
and believed it — now I know it. " Will I go to- 
bogganing again ? Yes, and often, though 1 
cannot promise to ever again ' try it on the 
dog first !' but go I will, dog or no dog." 

A GOOD STORY. 

Good stories like i^oor old Homer never lack 
for a place of birth. There wasn't a town of 
any size in all Greece but claimed the honor of 
being responsible for Homer's early start in 
life. I haven't yet found a Canadian town, 



The JVaudcriiip- Yankee, 



& 



large or small, if it have a toboggan slide, but 
will tell you in all seriousness about how that 
a (?ertain prominent visitor, who, when he was 
taken down their slide said, '' I wouldn't have 
missed that for |100 — but I wouldn't take it 
over for |1,000." It doesn't vary so much as a 
syllable. They all tell it the same, only chang- 
ing the name of the prominent who said it. 
After considerable investigation I have, I 
think, traced the story to its real origin. H. C. 
Kowley, one of the publishers of the " Web- 
ster Dictionaries," of Springfield, Mass., was 
here, the guest of the well-known book man, 
Wm. Drysdale, on St. Catherine street. They 
went out to the old Montreal A. A. A. slide. 
Just as Rowley finished his first trip down, 
James Harper, then on the " Gazete," but now 
with the '' Witness," asked, " Well, Mr. Row- 
ley, how did you like the ride ?" " Oh, it was 
fine, fine. I wouldn't have missed it for |100 !" 

" Here, Mr. Rowley," said Jim Paton, with 
whom more prominents have gone down than 
with any other man in Canada, " come, try a 
ride with me." 

" Wouldn't go again for |1,000 !" 

WINTER IN CANADA. 

How often have I wished for ideal winter. 
I've watched the snow fall, and hoped it might 
remain long enough to have some fun sleigh- 
ing. In the old Ohio home where my social cir- 
cuit extended over a wide area, in the days 
when I cared more for fun than work, I never 
dared to start away in a sleigh, lest I came 



J 



The Wandering Yankee. 33 

home in the mud. It was not because the wea- 
ther was not cold enough, but in that country, 
it would snow, and melt and freeze, then snow 
and melt and freeze some more. There was no 
counting on what was coming. The winter, by 
its constant change from cold to warm and 
back to cold again, was the most unhappy sea- 
son of all the year. I used often to wish that 
winter would be winter and stop at that, but it 
never would, it just kept on changing, with 
each change worse than the last. 

Here I be, in Canada, in the winter of 1902. 
1 cry out in the fullness of joy, '' Eureka !" at 
last I have found the hope of my boyhood 
daj^s ! I have found the ideal winter of my 
young dreams and am happy. When winter 
started in, or rather after the time it should 
have started, it was so like our own that I was 
disappointed and wrote as I did in my sketch 
of Christmas Day, on '' Winter Sports in Cana- 
da," and the subsequent one on " Toboggan- 
ning." Matt and the Colonel say that those 
sketches were bad enough to have brought 
about a change in even Canadian weather— at 
any rate, they had hardly been written when 
the change came and a more pleasing season 
than I have found winter Canada to be I have 
never seen in any land. I feared Canadian 
winter and only remained by force of circum- 
stances, but, oh the joy of it all ! It snows and 
remains just cold enough to keep it in perfect 
condition. It does not melt and run together 
in a mass as in our cities— weeks may pass and 
the snow shoveler can load his cart sled with a 
large scoop shovel — never having to use a pick to 
loosen the snow bank, but can throw it up as 



;>1: The Wanderino- Yaiikce. 



^> 



though it had just fallen. It does not pack and 
become a mass of ice, save where it is beaten 
down by constant travel. Sleighs run here and 
there — everything goes on runners from the 
pleasure sleigh to the mournful hearse. Why, 
even the street cars — I am told — once sHd 
along through the streets. The snow is not 
deep. I've seen deeper snow about New York 
City than in Montreal, but here a little sn^^w 
serves all purposes of sleighing for, as I said, 
the weather remains just cool enough to keep it 
from melting — Ideal winter — winter in Canada. 
Quebec held 

" A AVEEK OF SPORTS " 

recently. I was there — and now listen 
to what I tell you. If ever one of my 
readers should, in the future, hear it 
barely mentioned that there is to be a 
Carnival, or a Week of Sports anywhere in 
Canada, don't wait to be begged to attend, but 
pack your trunks and come. Don't fear the 
cold — the weather is delightful. All winter 
I've gone about with the same shoes of sum- 
mer, with no rubbers and am comfortable. I 
use this simple proof as best to convey to you 
the real conditions, for many of you think of 
this climate as I did, that it iS bleak and cold, 
and barren and uncomfortable. Dispel that no- 
tion for on honour, it is, as I say, delightful. 

But, then, a word on the " Quebec Week of 
Sports." It was not a Carnival with its Ice 
Palace, but simply a week spent in the various 
sports characteristic of Canada. Without go- 
ing into detail as to the tobogganning, skiing, 



The Wandering Yankee. 35 

snow shoe parades, hockey and curling match- 
es, fire-works, 

THESE WERE VERY BEAUTIFUL. 

Sleighing parties to Montmorency Falls, 
where, at the Kent House, were often as many 
as two thousand visitors, and the other feat- 
ures, without, I say, going into details, I will 
simply speak of the 

SNOW SHOE CLUBS' CONCERT, 

which alone was worth hundreds of miles 
travel to see. 

It was all so new to me. It was held in the 
great Drill Hall. The stage — a A^ery large one — 
was one mass of color, made up by the gay uni- 
forms of the combined snow shoe clubs, gather- 
ed from many parts of Canada. No one could 
conceive the beauty of it all — and wiien they 
joined in chorus it was beyond telling. The Ca- 
nadians are naturally musical. Strike up a 
song among a body of young men, and instant- 
ly it is taken up and carried along as by a 
trained chorus. The most delightful part to 
me of the Duke and Duchess late visit, was 
that great Canadian chorus under the leader- 
ship of V^zina — that night on the Terrace — 
V^zina led again this night of the Snow Shoe 
Clubs' Concert. After the concert came the 
tug of war by many teams. It too was new to 
me. Some of the men on the teams were veri- 
table giants in strength, but evenly matched. 
Their muscles were like bands of steel, and as 
they swayed, and pulled, ever and anon, sud- 



:;.G 



The Wandering Yankee. 



deiily letting slack the rope and quickl}^ gather- 
ing it in — now seeming certain of victory — now 
losing — the vast audience first standing up, 





IIUBE GETS BOUNCED. 



(BV A. G. UACEY.) 



then getting on the chairs, the better to see, 
showed the intense excitement as the opposing 
giants swaged and pulled until the referee call- 
ed time. So evenly were the various teams 



The Wandcriiio; Yankee 



^ 



matched that they had to pull and pnll again 
to determine the victors. Train time came for 
me, but what was a day longer — midnight was 
struck and still we held the chairs. I never 
cou'i have believed that so simple a thing as 
two ceams of men tugging at a rope, could 
have so held my attention — but they did — and 
can do it again. During the waits, between 
the tugging of the teams — the snow shoers 
made merry by " bouncing " unwar}' victims. 

Weldon's wilj^ eye caught sight of me on 
top of a chair near by. He gave a signal and 
before I knew what had happened I was mak- 
ing journeys toward the roof, with the double 
fear of striking the roof on the up and the floor 
on the down turn, I felt like an overgrown 
*' Oh !" in both the up and the down. I always 
thought the " Bounce " was done with the 
blanket, but instead the victim is thrown up 
and caught in the outstretched hands of the 
bouncers. Now that is all over and I wasn't 
either dropped or scared to death, I am greatly 
obliged to Weldon for catching sight of me on 
top of that chair. 

SNOW SHOE PARTY. 

During the winter the various Montreal 
clubs make life enjoyable by snow shoe tramps 
over the mountain. The ladies as w^ell as the 
men take part and are very expert. Thanks 
to the M.A.A.A., I, too, became an exj^ert. 

In short, I repeat if you ever hear of a Cana- 
dian Carnival, or ^'Week of Sports," don't ques 
tion, but go, and thank me for the advice. I 



The Wandering Yankee. 




forgot to mention a very interesting feature of 
the '' Quebec Week of Sports." It was the 
making of a number of 



INDIAN CHIEFS 

by the Huron tribe of Indians of In- 
dian Lorette, about which I told you in 
'' The Yankee in Quebec." Here is one of the 
new chiefs. He is a very large chief, but not 
at all dangerous as he is a " Good Indian," al- 
tliouah a ''live one." 



CUELING. 



Curling is a Scotch game and is played most- 
ly with brooms— of course, they need some ice 
and a " curling iron " to play it properly, but to 
an onlooker the broom is the chief feature. 1 
said it Avas a Scotch game, as I know of no 
other nation or people who would have the pa- 
tience to play it. It is the other extreme of 
games, with hockey holding first place. It is as 
slow as hockey is fast. It is the tortoise and 
the rabbit all over again with men as the parti 
cipants. 

The Colonel and I went to see a game be- 
tween the Rideau Club, of Ottawa, and the 
Montreal team, played in the rink of the Mont- 
real Curling Club. We were told that the game 
was a ver}^ exciting one, but the only thing ex- 
citing, Avas in my trying to keep the Colonel 
awake long enough to see it out. 

Did you ever see curling curled ? No ? 
Well I never had either until that night. I 
will tell you a little about it, so that if you 



The Wandering Yankee. 39 

ever see it coming down the pike you won't 
pass as strangers. This rink has three alleys, 
some 20 feet wide and 140 feet long. At either 
end there are several black circles, each one, of 
course, smaller than the next larger one, like 
the circles on a target. The " bull's eye " is 
what you aim to land on. The thing ^-ou use 
to play with is called a '' stone " because it is 
made out of iron. It is round and flat, with an 
'^ L " handle, turned at right angle on top. It is 
about eight inches across and about four inches 
high, and weighs from 50 to 60 pounds. You 
stand at one end as though bowling, but you 
swing easy like, thou push it along, and the 
" stone " goes down the alley about as fast as 
you would walk if you were not in a hurry. It 
goes so slowly that you can't but wonder why 
it goes at all, but in the hand of an expert like 
Lieut. Colonel Sherwood it gets right there. 
Whj, in that game, Sherwood could make that 
stone do more odd things than I could tell you 
of. He could make it fairly weave in and out, 
and stop where he pleased to put it, or knock 
other stones away. One time his side had a 
possible count, the Colonel looked at the bunch 
and said, " I think I'll strike this stone here, 
(indicating) carom that one and leave our 
three safe." Now, think of the consumate 
skill of the pla^^er ! He walked to the further 
end, took his bearings, and started the stone 
down the 140 feet. It seemed to be going oil 
to the side, but when within fifty feet, it began 
weaving or curling in, struck the exact spot on 
the stone indicated before the play, knocked ?t. 
and another of the opposing stones away, and 
left the three stones safe for his side. This play 



40 The Wandering Yankee. 

even waked " my " Colonel up, and he didn't go 
to sleep after that. This Lieut. -Colonel Sher- 
wood is the Chief of the Dominion Police. If 
he is as good a chief as he is a curler, then, 
Canada is a bad place for the criminal. 

'' What part does the broom play ?" Oh, I 
forgot to tell you about the broom. You see 
when curling was played out doors the ice had 
to be kept clear and smooth with brooms — well, 
the descendants of those old open ice pla^-ers 
have inherited the broom habit and they keep 
on sweeping as religiously on the smoothest of 
indoor ice as though the game were being play- 
ed in a snow storm. It is the fun of the game 
to see two or three of them in front of the 
coming stone, sweeping as though for their 
very lives, acting for all the world as if their 
efforts were helping the inanimate stone along 
while the other players swing their brooms and 
cry out, " Soup, (sweep) soup, soup, for your 
lives !" Like everything else that a Scot does, 
he curls with his heart in the play. It is a game 
played by the finest men in the Dominion. One 
of the best curlers is possibly the most able 
preacher in Montreal. If he has an equal in 
the pulpit, I may find him later on. 

The ladies also play. The lady contingent 
of this club, won a trophy at the recent " week 
of sports," in Quebec, while the men of the 
club lost. 

Curling is the one really moral game — if, 
having a chaplain will make a game moral. 
Each club is supposed to have its chaplain, pos- 
sibly that is the one reason why it is so "slow" 
— who knows ! 



The Wandering Yankee. 41 



CURLIANA. 

I never saw such a game for odd terms used 
in the play. I have since met that versatile 
genius, J. Hugh Ross, and learned from him 
that there is a language expressly made up for 
curling. It is called " Curliana." He has 
written out a few of the play terms, and to 
make them more interesting, has furnished me 
a small picture gallery of some of fhe most 
prominent curlers in Montreal. I want it de- 
finitely understood that I am not responsible 
for the very accurate likeness to many of these 
gentlemen. Each of the five city clubs is here 
represented. See how many of the prominents 
you can name. To make more interesting, I 
told the artist to disguise the features some- 
what, which he has done, but not enough to de- 
stroy the likeness — who are they ? 






YOUBaCuRLER k^lOf IIM OR OUT TURl 





42 



The IVandcring Yankee. 



TOO MUCH LEGS 






'rs /> B£flvTr 



.r's^. 




-T-E=«=? N^- 
ALL '*'<^^^"' 

1... 



OONT TOOC^ 



VKt THAT PORT 




\slli TCh H"^ 



HtS COT IT 



YOUR NARRER 



yOUR A HOC . S/A 



WM/>V/> OO *0U tv/J/v ' 





yj 



ALL THE WAV 



thUts r»f rtofiD 



Om: /m slow 



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PRINC HIM. 



RIGHT TBROUCt- 



i. 




■% WE ABE 




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ON THE PUTt 



CAN »"»U SEE THAT 




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TJic Wandering Yankee. 



43 



'5 1 




ENGLISH AS SHE IS SPELLED IN 
CANADA. 



If there is a '^ laboroiis " way of spelling, 
Canada finds that way and uses it. In short, 
I might say " you (U) are in it " every time ! 
'' Labour," " honour " and all '^ our ■' words are 
spelled the long way. Newspapers are always 
" fyled " on our " files." If George Winger had 
been at a " spelling match " in Canada instead 
of in Springfield, he never would have been 
'' run over " by that extra " g " in " waggon ^' 
as he was that night in Black's Opera House, 
when George Rawlins quickly dropped the "g" 
and " rode " away with the prize, amid the ap- 
plause of a packed house. Elbert Hubbard, 
'' The East Aurora Philistine," would have 
even more work up here, than he has in the 
States in '' thuroly" carrying us "thru " the in- 
tricacies of the '' ough " as the Canadian does 
object to orthographical changes in spelling. 



44 The Wandering Yankee. 

Which is right? "Both?" Well, let it goat 
that, since both put the same number of L's in 
the " root " of all words as well as " all evil. ' 

I made this last turn of words so that I 
might have a reasonable excuse, without preli- 
minary of telling you the density of some of 
our people on 



The Money of Canada. 

A man down your way wrote to a 
new agency here : " Get all money chang- 
ed before sending it to me, as I can't 
use pounds, shillings and pence." Now, 
don't laugh, for you ^idn't know any bet- 
ter yourself. I didn't, at any rate, before 1 
came last June. Why, bless you, they have 
cents, pennies (two cent pieces), five cents, ten- 
cent, twenty cent pieces, quarters and half dol- 
lars, and, in bills, the only difference is, they 
have a four dollar bill which is so like the one 
that if the paymaster has looked on tlie 
" Scotch " too often, he is liable to pay out 
|400 instead of |100. 

While on money, I must tell you of the gene- 
rosity of the church goer. I have often watch- 
ed the " plate," and to see on it anything but 
silver or paper is very rare. 

How different (" I shall tell it, so there I") I 
think it was at one of those rich churches, up 
Madison Ave. Heber Newton — I think it was 
Heber — started the " plates " down the aisles 
with : " Now, friends, don't, I pray you, repeat 
the donation of last Sunday, — why, I thought, 
when the plates came back, that you all owned 



The Wandering Yankee. 45 

stock in a ' Copper Mine.' " After that lie ^ot 
a regular Canadian offering. 

How Money is Issued. 

The |1, |2 and |4 bills are issued by the Gov 
ernment as are also the |500 and |1,00() bills. 
The |5, |10, |20, |50 and fiOO bills are issued 
by the banks. The Government also issue a 
|50 and |100 bill. The Government issues bills 
to be used between banks, sort o' clearing 
house bills of the denominations of |500, 
11,000 and |5,000. 

In the States we take a check to the paying 
teller's window and get the cash — here you go 
to the " O.K." window first, get your check 
O.K'd, then get your cash at the paying teller's 
window. The banks are very conservative, 
which means that you can't get their money on 
the same ''wild cat" securities you can on some 
of the New York banks. They always want the 
paper to be of full value when making loans 
upon it. In the case of banks it is well to be 



slow.' 



MORAL MONTREAL. 



I spoke of "Moral Quebec" and gave as an il 
lustration that but one man had been hung for 
murder in fifteen years. Tliis city can show a 
better record than Quebec by three years. 
There has been but one man, Laplaine, to pay 
the extreme penalty in Montreal within eigh- 
teen years, and he should hardly have been 
held accountable ! Any man whose life was so 



46 TJic Wandering Yankee. 

Overshadowed by 13, 

could scarcely liaye escaped all the eyil 
o-oino-. Mr. ' Wolff, City Editor of the 
" Gazette," was first to note the oft re- 
currence of the unlucky (?) " 13 " and following- 
it up, found that it occurred in this man's life 
no less than forty times. He found thirteen 
letters in the name of the prosecutor and the 
same number in the name of the defender. 
There were 13 witnesses, the chief one of whom 
was a 13-year old boy. There were 13 letters in 
the name of the jailer. On Oct. 13, (1901) 13 
days after he was found guilty, and exactly 13 
days before the day set for his execution, a 
short stay was granted, but he was resentenced 
for Dec. 13, and so on down to Cote des Neiges, 
the cemetery with its 13 letters — Odd, eh ? 

TAMMANY HALL NOT IN IT ! 

This morality does not hold good during elec- 
tion time. I thought Tammany knew a few 
things in the line of running elections, but 
Tammany will haye to go to school seyeral full 
terms yet before she knows enough to read out 
of Montreal's primer. Why, in close elections 
here, they run their candidates in by "tele- 
graph," as they call it, whateyer that is. "Ah, 
me!" said an old "telegrapher" one day: 
" Mister Rube, ye should hav bin here whin we 
telegraphed as was tilegraphin — why, wan day 
whin a man I was runnin,' got scart an ses he 
to me sez he ' were gan^ — sez I to him sez I 
' Giv' me a fifty/ sez I. He gav' me the fifty. 



The Wandering Yankee. 



47 



In tin minutes I had the whole board — inspic- 
tor and all — an tin dallers lift for contingencies, 
in me cloze, wull, sur, I niver voted so fashed in 
me life as I did for the nixt half hour." 
*' Did you get 3'our man elected ?" I asked. 




TILEGEKAFFIN AS WAZ TILEGERAFFIN. 



'' Elicted !" said he, " elicted is it ? why he 
wint in with such a mejarity that the nixt time 
he wus up they couldn't git annybody to run 
agin him and he wint in be acklimation for siv- 
eral yeres. Ah, me ! thim wus the happy tili- 
graffin' days." And he seemed almost sad in 
his reminiscence. 



48 The IVandcrins;- Yankee. 



On inquiry, I find that the word ^' telegraph,-' 
moans for one man to vote on another's name. 
During the Feb. elections a one eyed member 
of the " telegraphers' " union offered his vote. 
''What's jour occupation?" asked the inspector. 
'"I'm a railroad engineer!" was, for him, the un- 
fortunate reply. " Engineers must have two 
eyes !" — and he was one of a half dozen 
sent to prison a few days since. 

Notwithstanding the fact that the law here 
is very strict, their system of registration is so 
defective that it can be very easily beaten by 
the professional '' telegrapher." 

HOCKEY. 

'^ Rube, did 3'Ou ever see Hockey ?" asked 
Matt, one evening, " Oh, yes, I know him well. 
He's now in the Bowling Green bank, 26 Broad- 
way. Fine fellow that Hockey !" 

" No, no, I don't mean that, I mean hockey 
on ice !" 

" Oh, I see — No, I never saw Hockej- on ice. 
He was always in the bank when I saw him, 
where he is all right, but I'm 'fraid on ice he 
would be no good — he's too clumsy." 

" Say, Rube, does it always affect you that 
way? Now, if you will only be sensible for one 
half minute, I will tell you that hockey is a 
game — a ' game ' played on ice — on ice, I say !" 

" Oh, now I see — No. I never saw the game 
by that name. I've seen ' Shinny on your own 
side,' is it like that ?" 

" Just so, only that it is played after a i)er- 
fect system. There's to be a game to-night, and 
if you'd like to see it we'll go. The Montreals 



The Wandering Yankee 



49 



are to beat the Victorias, up St. Catherine 
street, in the Arena." We went and ' now ' I 
have seen hockey — and am cold 3^et. You see 
the game is played in a great cold storage 
where you sit and try to ^' holler " yourself 
warm. As long as the game is going it's all 
right, but whenever they stop to carry off the 
crippled, you forget and begin to freeze, and 
just before 3'ou become one vast chillbain, the 
pla3'er has had his head sewed up or his leg put 
in splints and is back on the ice, ready to get 
even with the fellow who struck him. 




Have 3'ou ever seen humming birds flit from 
flower to flower, extracting nectar ? Well, 
those humming birds are tortoises when com- 
pared to the way those hockey fellows went 
from one end of that Cold Storage to the other. 
They were always running or skating, or flying 
after a poor little innocent piece of rubber, 
which Matt called " puck," and when one or the 
other side got that rubber into a place they 
called the " net," a man in a wire cage would 



50 The Wandering Yankee. 

hold up his hand, and they'd all have to go back- 
to the centre of the Storage and begin over. I 
couldn't see anything to it, but, ah, how Matt 
did seem to enjoy it, especially whenever the 
Montreals made the fellow in the wire cage 
hold up his hand. Long tow^ard the last, how- 
ever, I saw^ Matt was very downcast. I couldn't 
see any reason for it as the game was more ex- 
citing than it had been since I had first begun 
to freeze. I tried to cheer him up but it was no 
use, he just kept getting "dow^n-caster" every 
minute, and w^atching the men on the otht^r 
side who w^ere timing the players to see how 
fast they could go from one end to the other. 
Finally, these time-keepers rang a bell and 
4,137 people out of 7,001 in the Cold Storage 
got up and tried to raise the roof, but Matt sat 
still, and said they couldn't do it next time. 
" Do w hat ?" I asked. 

" Why, don't you see that the Victorias have 
beat us !" 

'' Oh?" then I felt as bad as I did that day the 
Roo Stars got beaten and run out of the Fair 
ground by the Red Stockings, of Springfield. 

Matt and I w^ent out with a lot of Montreal- 
ers who put in the rest of the evening telling 
just how^ it happened. 

Yes, indeed, hockey is a great game — but i'll 
wait for summer to see the next match played 
off. 

Later. — After all, the Montreal team won 
the season's championship, both locally and at 
Winnipeg, wiiere was played the League game 
for the Stanley Cup. Matt has been smiling 
ever since. 



The Wandering Yankee. 




THE CANADIAN GIRL. 

" A thing of beauty is a joy for ever !" 

'' Rube/' asked the Colonel, one snowy day, 
as we walked leisuredly along, watching the 



52 The Wandering Yankee 



downy flakes fall, piling the inches upon the 
street and sidewalks, ^' did you ever see any- 
thing more beautiful than the Canadian girl in 
a snow storm ? Watch her as she braves the 
weather as though it were but a spring morn- 
ing; see the heightened coloring of her cheeks, 
like the blush upon the roses ! No mincing 
step is hers — but firm and strong. The winds 
beat about, covering her with a mantle of 
whiteness, but she heeds neither wind nor 
snow as she moves majestically along, seeming 
not to fear either, and to full}^ enjoy both ! 
Ah, Kube, I never before saw the real beauty 
of the Canadian girl until now. She is su- 
p rb!'' I had to stop right there and look at the 
Colonel. Never before had I seen him so enthu- 
siastic. We had seen together many of the 
beauties of Canada, its rivers, mountains, 
lakes, forests and glens, but the Colonel had 
ever looked upon beauty in his usual silence 
until this morning. All I could say was: '' <^o 
on, Colonel, go on — them's my sentiments I" 

THE IDEAL MAN. 

'^ Rube," asked the Colonel, in one of his 
philosophic moods, " did you ever see the Ideal 
Man ?" 

" Why, Colonel, you talk like a woman. AVho 
ever heard such a question asked of a man 
about man !" 

" Well, did you ?" 

'^ No, and never expect to. My Ideal Man 
has not yet arrived. He is the fellow who is to 
' Love his neighbor as he loves himself.' He is 
going to be fair, and if rich with other human 



TJic IVandcring Yankee. 53 

beings dependent upon him, he is going to give 
them a chance. He is going to give them a 
share of what tliey help him earn and not grind 
them down and make them regret they ever 
came. He is going to have a care for them, 
and, in return, they will bless him with their 
every breath. They will not strive to do their 
least, but their best for him. He will not have 
to spy on them for they will work with a heart 
in their task. Such a man, when he comes, 
will be blessed among all who know him. He 
may not be a high churchman, for, you know, 
Colonel, the cloak of church often covers like 
charity much more than the man— principles 
far from the Ideal. He will, moreover, be a 
happy man as nothing short of fair dealing 
with one's fellows, and, especially, one's de- 
pendants will bring true happiness. No, 
Colonel, the Ideal Man ha^ not yet arrived !" 

" Rube, my boy, I thought so, too, but I have 
found him here in Montreal. I didn't believe 
it possible at first, but for weeks I've been 
proving it to myself, and in every turn he 
stands the test, until I feel that after all my 
years of search I am repaid with at last finding 
him, even though I had to leave my own coun- 
try in the search." 

"By what test did you recognize him, 
Colonel ?" 

" By the very one you have just given me, at 
such length. He is all you have named and 
more. He is the one whom ' Tom ' in your 
* My Friend Bill ' was ever looking for. Yes, 
Rube, I have found in Canada the Ideal Man, I 
would that the rich of our own land would fol- 
low his lead. It would be worth thousands of 



54 The Wandering Yankee. 

word sermons. It's not the telling, but the do- 
ing that counts — the example and not the ad- 
vice that makes the world better.'^ 

THE COLLEGE BOY FROM THE CaUNTRY. 

The college boy is the same the world over. 
He usually comes in from the country village 
where he is often of quite as much importance 
as he thinks he is — but not always — and he 
packs up this importance along with his village 
clothes and brings it with him to the college, 
where he unpacks it and proceeds to own 
things. By reason of his coming, even the 
Principal must bow to his will, and make 
things pleasant for him, else there will be trou- 
ble. If he choose to distribute carmine over the 
College City, no one must gainsay this prerog- 
ative; if his College team gain a victory over 
some other team, no matter how inferior the 
other team, why, then, he must devote the even- 
ing of the game to goin^;- about town and letting 
the victory be known in ways that only the col- 
lege boy can devise; if the city authorities dare 
to treat him as a common mortal and take him 
before the Recorder of the City, he must needs 
call down upon his Principal all sorts of things 
for what the Recorder may have done; and, 
when he " gets out," next morning, he must 
call a meeting of other college bojs from other 
country villages and proceed to appoint a com- 
mittee to ask the Principal what reason he has 
for living anyhow. The Colonel came in one 
evening and told me about a meeting of this 
kind that was to be held at one of the colleges, 
and said it would be as good as a country cir- 



The Wandering Yankee. 



55 



cus. We went, but a better comparison than 
a " Country Circus " would have to be made. 

•* Why do you Live ?" 

The meeting was called to order and the 
boys proceeded to take themselves seriously. 
The chairman after stating the object of the 




meeting, proceeded to intersperse some of the 
old with the new — somehow the product of his 
memory (the " old") would not run smoothly 
with his originality (the " new "). Here is a bit 
of it. ''The lights in the palace of the Kecord- 
er w^ere weird and dim — the moon piercing the 



5G The Wandering Yankee. 

tissue of fleecy clouds silvered the dewdropj; on 
the helmets of the Montreal Police— and — and 
- — but I came not here to talk, ye know too well 
the story of our thraldom. (' Hear, hear/ and 
loud applause). Are we but slaves that tho 
minions of the law must lay vile hands upon 
us ? — No, my ' Countrymen,' I said no, ye know 
something else. Ye know that two of our fel- 
lows were cast into a dungeon vile, last night, 
and had to languish till morning — till morning 
I said — and — and that was more languishing, 
than we should allow them to languish — a^id 
for wh}^, Gentlemen ? I said for why ! — for - 
why r 

Just here he lost his place on his manuscript 
and became much confused but started in at 
random. '^ Tell me, ye winged winds !" (' Yes. 
tell him!' from an upper classman in the rear 
of the room) more confusion, and the " wind " 
refused to " tell him." ''I move we adjourn I" 
(from a Senior) " No, never ! I move we appoint 
a committee to visit the Principal and ask 
what rights he has that we are bound to — to." 
The mover forgot the rest of it and sat down — 
and thus it ran for a half hour, at the end of 
which time a committee was appointed to visit 
the Principal and tell him in plain language 
that unless he told them '^ why," that they 
would all return home, haul fodder and do the 
milking and other chores for the rest of the 
winter. 

I never heard just how it all ended, but one 
morning, a week later, I asked: "Colonel, I 
wonder what was the outcome of that college 
meeting we attended ?" Before the Colonel 
could reply, a young fellow across the table 



The IVaudcriuo- Yankee. 



spoke up and said : "We appointed a committee 
to see the Principal." 

'' Yes, wliat did you do — did the Principal 
tell you anything ?" 

" No, — not a thing. — He even had the au- 
dacity to ask us who was running the school 
anyhow !" 

" Well— well— and did you tell him ?" 

" No, (hesitatingly) not exactly." 

" I don't see why you, boys, stand it ! Why 
don't you expel him ?" 

'^ We — can't ! (seriously). You see it's this 
way: there's a lot of rich men in this tawn who 
run the college just as they please, and we, 
boys, haven't any thing to say about it." 

" Too bad, too bad !" and he seriously took 
the sympathy. 

At this writing the college is still running 
with the same Principal at the head. 

Too Good to be Out so Late, 
A good story is told of the night the two 
boys had to ''languish till morning." Just as 
the policeman had arrested them, a third boy 
came up and with much of the afore mentioned 
importance told the officer : " Here — release 
those men at once, or you'll get yourself into 
trouble, I am the son of (mentioning a promin- 
ent M.P.) and nephew of (another ''prominent") 
'' Oh, I beg your pardon !" said the officer with 
much seeming humility, "You are the son of — ? 
and nephew of — ? Well, my dear boy, you are 
really too young and too good, and too well 
connected to be out so late — so come along 
with me. Something might happen to you, 
something might fall upon and do you bodily 
harm." And the " good boy " went along. 



The IVaudcrin^ Yankee, 



ii 



With all the Canadian college bo3^s' tricks, 
however, tliej^ are no circumstance to some of 
the old Wittenberg tricks played by the "boys'' 
who have long been filling pulpits at " |400 
per.-' Ah, those Wittenbergers ! " They " were 
the bo3'S ! Wish I had time to tell 3'ou of them, 
but it's not Springfield but Montreal I'm writ- 
ing about." 

THE FKIENDS WHO GROW AWAY. 

^' Rube," casually remarked the Colonel the 
day we came in from the winter picnic, " I saw 

on the hotel register the names of some of 

your townspeople.". 

'' Who were they ?" I asked, not thinking 
they might be any whom I had known, since 
years so change a city's directory. 

" Why, I think their name was X. Yes, Mr. 
and Mrs. X ." 

'' Well, well, I must go at once to call. They 
will be so glad to see me. I knew Mrs. X 
long years ago. We were good friends then." 

I went, but returned shortly. The Colonel 
noticed my lack of enthusiasm and wanted to 
know, had I called. 

"Yes," coolly. 

" What's the matter. Rube ? You don't 
seem pleased that your friends are in town, 
weren't you glad to see them ?" 

'• Oh, 3 es, very, but Mrs. X was so changed. 
She seemed to feel that she had done all the 
growing, and treated me as though I were still 
the farmer boy from the little home village. 
She has married a rich man, and don't now 
have to do her own work, and made 



The Wandering Yankee. 59 

me feel the growth away from the old 
(lavs. She was so cold and formal and 
so rich. She still called me Rube, but it was 
not the old cheery 'Rube/ but a languid patron- 
ising ' Rube/ as though she felt our stations 
were miles apart, and the whole train stalled 
midway. She asked about the village, and 
talked as though to the farmer boy of old, and 
manifested no interest save wiien speak- 
ing of herself and her children and 
their doings. I came away. She bid 
me goodbye, but did not rise when I was 
going. She will never see me again. It is 
thus we cut, from time to time, from our list, 
those whom, we once counted as friends, 
friends who think that they have done all the 
growing away, since the long ago. — " 

'' It is not always so with the rich, think vou. 
Rube ?" 

'•No, fortunately, but you know, Colonel, 
some are not fitted for wealth, and they can't 
stand the contrast. They are prone to lay aside 
the old friends when the change comes, from 
poverty to affluence. They can't stand the 
change." 

THE MAN WHO SWEARS 

Was also a boarder at our house for a time. 
He wasn't a native and he couldn't be said to 
'' swear like a native " for Canada is not a 
swearing nation,— nothing to be compared 
with our own country,— but he'd swear so easy 
like, he seemed to enjoy it, and really went 
about it as though he were doing a commend- 
able thing. I wanted to like the fellow and 



60 



TJic JVaiidcriug Yankee. 



^\'oiild often get almost up to the point of liking 
him when he'd start in unconsciousl}' to swear 
about a trifle that should not have annoj^ed a 
child, with only half a mind. Then, again, he'd 
swear when he wasn't annoyed, just swear for 
the pure pleasure of it, seemingly. I never saw 
him play billiards. Don't know what he'd have 
said if he had missed an easy shot, but I can 




HE MISSED THE SHOT. 

imagine. Did you ever watch a billiard swear- 
er ? He's the party w^ho can show the caliber 
of his mental make up if any of them can ! 
I've heard him when he was at his best (worst) 
and if all the things had happened to those 
poor inanimate ivories that he requested 
should happen to them, I don't know what 
wouldn't have happened. I've seen that same 
player in the presence of ladies and in manner, 



The IVaudcriiig Yankee. 



61 



he was a Chesterfield, and a Carlisle in lan- 
2:11 age, bnt I could never think of him as the 
ladies' man, but as the billiard swearer. I 




ARKIVAL. 



wouldn't want to think of him that way, but I 
couldn't help it. He means no harm and is al- 



62 



TJic IVaudcrino; Yankee. 



most invariably a good fellow. He has been 
known to swear in bis effort to make you feel 
that he is a bigger man — more important man 




DKl'ARTriiE. 

as it were. He went to see Lincoln one time on 
a very important matter — was sent by a promi- 



The Wandering Yankee. Go 

nent Senator. He wanted to impress Lincoln 
and swore. He was fully successful. Lincoln 
was greatly impressed — so much so, in fact, 
that the man did not wait to attend to the "im- 
portant matter," being occupied for the next 
few moments with going out the door wiiich 
Lincoln very courteously held open for him. He 
told his friends in a far distant state, when he 
got back home from his fruitless trip, that he 
had never seen a man in his life so susceptible 
to quick impression as was Mr. Lincoln. To his 
more intimate friends he said that the way he 
felt, made Mr. Lincoln seem a very large man, 
indeed, as he passed him going out the door 
that day. His neighbors all noticed that he 
had entirely quit sw^earing after his return. 

Now, you'll think me a " goody." Don't, for 
I'm not, but I'll like you better if you don't 
swear. It's useless, silly and don't make you 
appear at your best, and I do like to see a man 
at his best, for, at best, we are bad enough. 
Don't swear. If you feel you must, though, go 
off quietly by yourself and have it out. You 
can get through so much quicker when alone, 
besides you're then not an annoyance. 

THEATERS. 

Montreal has one good English theater. It 
has numerous play houses, but one, at which 
the best can be seen, and at this one, good 
companies often play to empty seats. The 
Montreal theater-goer is a very exacting indi- 
vidual. If the Company is known to be good 
no price is too high for him to pay. If the play- 
er has made a New York hit he is assured of a 



G4 The Wandcrino- Yankee.. 



full house. Montreal cares more for the New 
York than for the London stamp of approval. 
Reeves Smith, for instance, came with fine 
London credentials and played a most charm- 
ing piece: "The Tyranny of Tears"^to small 
houses, at regular prices, while far less merit- 
orious actors drew well. 

Mrs. Pat. Campbell asked and received near- 
ly double rates and played to packed houses. 
I was away until Saturday when she played : 
" Bevond Human Power." It was a well 




named play. To have gone to see it the second 
time would have been for me far " Beyond hu- 
man power." The only ones who told me they 
enjoyed it were some small boys who had cir- 
cused their way into the gallery. I heard them 
talking about it on the street. " Boys," I ask- 
ed, "How did you like the play ?" 

" Oh, it was beautiful !" 

" How much of it did you see ?" 

" Well," said the spokesboy, hesitatingly, 
"we only got in just as she was dying." 



The VVanderins: Yankee. 65 



I didn't blame the boys. I enjoyed that 
part myself, immensel}', for I knew then that 
there wasn't anything more coming. It is real- 
ly too bad for so great an actress — and she is 
great — few greater — to play so poor (I'd like 
to use that other — stronger word) a piece. 
Fortunately for her, it w^as not put on until 
Saturda3\ The rest of her plays are worthy of 
her. For the sake of the coming generations 
to whom she may continue to play, I would beg 
of her to '' cut it out." 

~ Apropos of the Montreal woman. If Paris 
can excel her in artistic hair dressing, then 
Paris is, indeed, artistic. To see a hat or bon- 
net worn in a Montreal theater is a rare excep- 
tion, which makes poor, downtrodden man ex- 
claim : " Woman — bless her, I can see the 
stage ! 



t" 



There is an effort being made here to limit 
the age at which a child m^j attend the the- 
ater alone. The age in the effort is sixteen. 
The Colonel suggests that the age in some of 
the theaters should be raised to " sixty " since 
the acting (?) is of a quality that w^ould make 
a younger person shiver, and one of that age 
would know better than to attend. In this 
event the actors (?) and actresses (?) would 
have to return to their natural level and leave 
the stage to actors who can get above " Equine 
Play." 



There is a French-speaking theater in Mont- 
real said to be very good, but you can't prove 
it by me. I'm fast forgetting all the French I 
learned in Quebec — And speaking of 



66 The Wandering Yankee. 

French as She is Spoke. 

Don't get the impression that the French 
Canadians speak only a " patois," for such is 
not the case. It may not be exactly Parisian, 
it is more the language as spoken in Normandy 
— but is not, as so many think, a "patois," that 
a French Frenchman cannot understand. The 
French as spoken in Canada is more generally 
the same than that spoken in France. 

COURT HOUSE. 

One day " the only Percy " took me to the 
door of his office and pointing down St. James 
street, showed me a building, and said : " This 
county had a good Court House, but the peo- 
ple thought it w^asn't high enough, so a story 
was added at a cost of |1,000,000, and there 
hasn't been a tax payer found yet but who 
agrees that " that " is high enough. Some of 
the more outspoken, go so far as to say that 
the " story " is like that of some authors, all 
" plot." But the building is a very fine one, 
and a credit to the County. I was glad that 
story had cost |1,00(),000 else Fd have missed 
this one of Percy's. 

CHATEAU DE RAMEZAY. 

If there is one thing the Colonel is or was 
particular about it is correctness in dates. The 
first question is : " When was it built ?" if it 
be a building we are visiting. This reminds 
me of the day we went to see Chateau de Ra- 
mezay up on or over on Notre Dame street. 



The Wandering Yankee. 67 

'' When was it built ?" asked tlie Colonel, of 
Thomas O'Leary, the assistant librarian. 
'' In 1705," said Thomas. 
" Now, see here, we didn't come to be jollied, 
I asked you the date of the erection of this Cha- 
teau, and I w^ant to know." 

^^ In 1705, as I told you," replied Thomas, 
good-naturedly. I could see that the Colonel 
was growing angry. 

'^ Rube, come away, we'll come some other 
day when we can get facts." By this time, 
O'Leary was getting out of humor, too, and he 
followed us to the walk that leads out to the 

street. 

'' Now, see, here, I told you facts, I said this 
Chateau was built in 1705, SEVENTEEN 
HUNDRED AND FIVE !" 

'' Then why don't you take down that date 
over the door ?" asked the Colonel, pointing up 
to a large '"1536 " which I hadn't noticed as we 

went in. . ^ 4. tk 

Well, it was a tonic to see that assistant-lib- 
rarian laugh. 

'' Why man," said he, when he could talk, 
'^ that is the street number, '1536 Notre Dame 
street ' " The Colonel's offer, to Thomas and 
me if we wouldn't mention " this," was yery 
tempting, but we refused as 'twas too good to 
keep. Since then, the Colonel is yery careful 
not to get his street numbers and dates mixed. 
If you're a tourist, and haye but an hour m 
Montreal, and wish to see, what to me, is its 
most interesting feature, go, yisit Chateau de 
Ramezay at 1536 Notre Dame street. It will 
amply repay you, if you are a typical tourist 
looking for things of ye olden times. Don t 



68 The Wandering Yankee. 



stop in at the corner just beyond Nelson's 
Monument, thinking it the real Chateau, even 
though you see over the door " Chateau de Ra- 
mezay " where one of those small souls who in- 
fest all cities, has put up a sign of this sort, by 
way of cheap notoriety, with the result of de- 
tracting from instead of attracting custom to 
his hole in the wall. Allowing this to have been 
done is one of the things which is little credit 
to the powers that be. To the stranger it 
seems a desecration of a name tliat should be 
honored for association if nothing more. 
This historic building is now the home of 



'& 



THE NUMISMATIC AND ANTIQXTARIAN 
SOCIETY OF MONTREAL.-^ 



AMERICANS IN MONTREAL. 

I find here hundreds of Americans. Many 
of whom are among the leaders, both socially 
and in business, as well as in the professions. 

Far up in the railroad interests are such 
men as Chas. M. Hays, J. C. Ogden, W. E. 
Davis, G. N. Bosworth, R. S. Logan, John W. 
Loud, T. H. McGuigan. In street railway. 
Colonel Jas. McNaught and Mr. H. H. Melville 
stand most prominent. In newspaper row 
are such men as August Wolfe and P. J. Lor- 
nigan, of the ''Gazette;" C. F. Paul, of the 



*Note. — This old Chateau was of so much in- 
terest to me that I had set up in type ten 
pages and space would not allow its use, great- 
ly to my regret. Go, see it, is my sincere ad- 
vice. 



The Wandering Yankee. 69 



^•Star;" J. S. Lewis and M. E. Williams, of the 
" Herald." 

In insurance, S. P. Stearns. 1 have spoken 
elsewhere of C. F. Sise, the head of the great 
Bell Telephone sj'stem. 

In the ministry are found such brilliant 
lights as Kev. Dr. T. S. McWilliams, of fre- 
quent mention, and Kev. W. S. Barnes, w^ho is 
as well a lecturer of a very high order. E. H. 
Twohey, the head of Customs and Robt. 
Watchorn, Immigration Inspector, tw^o gentle- 
men of rare abilit}^ and most genial natures. 

In the professions are Professor Hardman, 
who stands most prominent in Canada as a 
mining engineer; Professor Owens, of McGill; 
Professor D. P. Penhallow, also of McGill. 

Not to mention such names as these would 
be to leave out of the list many of Montreal's 
prominents : L. H. and E. Packard, Robt. 
Kerr, Geo. Hartt, Frank Paul, I. H. Stearns, 
Charles Saxe, A. L. White, A. C. Stongrave, 
H. J. Fuller, P. G. Gossler, John Galletti, 
George Hannah, of the Allan Steamship Line; 
Abner Kingman, Russell A. Alger, jr., and — 
and, — but the list is so long that Dixon says 
that if I don't stop somewhere he will have to 
make a two volume book and two volume 
books, he says, are not the proper thing, and 
Dixon ought to know for Dixon makes books. 

The rest of the Colony must forgive me, 
there's no offense — I love 'em all. 



The Wandcrino- Yankee. 



'' O wad some power the git'tie gie us 
To see oursels as itliers see us." 

It was in the smoking comimrtment of the 
parlor car, on the C.P.R. Short Line, that day I 
went up to Ottaw^a, to attend the opening of 
Parliament, that I saw^ " It." Ah ! it was a 
rare treat ! " It " sat at the end of the seat 
next the window, and talked so loud that we 
could hear. "It" wanted us all to hear, for "It" 




was sa^dng wise things to the Aoung man in 
tweed, w^ho ever replied in a low tone, not 
wishing to detract from the brilliancy of ''It." 
I soon gathered that " It " had been to ' Lun- 
nan.' " Dear ole Lunnan," and had met some 
of us " Stupid Ahmerikans," who were being 
jiiven a delicate touch in " It's " most scathing 
manner. 



TJic Wandering Yankee. 71 

''Tlic'v did so boali nie ! They didn't know 
anything outside of the most audinary. If 
they spolve of a boolv or a play it was '' fine," 
just '' fine." Keally, absolutely !" 

'" You nevah can take them out to dinnah — 
they don't know how to act at table. No table 
mannahs, n^ally, absolutely, none. Ah me, 
but no wundali they ah all so new. It takes 
genuations to produce true cultchah, i-eally, 
absolutely !" 

" I met a gentleman in Lunnan. He said, 
' It is so stwange, you, ah from Canadah, and 
yet so like us — 'yes,' he said, 'I was like them 
in mannah baulin, and yet from Canadah re- 
ally, absolutely ! So stwange !' " He hahs no 
mind. All he hahs is bod}'. Bod}^ lots of it, 
but no mind, R. A." 

After he had entirely demolished us, and be- 
fore branching off in more of his wisdom, he 
wanted to know of his friend. '' You reull^^ 
don't mind of I smoke my pipe — now reully ?" 
Then the wisdom continued : — " Ah ! the dead 
narrah existaunce of some lives ! I love noth- 
ing but Aht in life. It's the development of 
centewries. The humdrum existaunce I nevah 
could enduah. I love music ahnd the play, 
R. A !" 

" Beyond a cehtain point 3'ou can't get bet- 
tah, r!^ a." 

The French came in for their share. If any- 
thing they were, in his mind (?), occupying a 
lower plane than we, poor misguided Ameri- 
cans. 

" They calin't undahstand Shakespeah, real- 
ly, absolutely. They ah so tiehsome. They 
havn't a thought. They use wuds, many, 



72 The Wandering Yankee. 

many wuds, but they cahn't think, don't cher 
know ! I nevah could undahstand them. 
They stand out alone. The ideah ! So sad, 
awfully sad — really, absolutely !" And so '' It " 
ran on. I lost " It " at the Ottawa station. 
From whence ^' It '' came or whither " It " was 
going I may never know. Should ^'It" go on and 
ever on even beyond Canada and drop into the 
great ocean that borders the Dominion to the 
west, " It " would be safe. '' It " is too light 
to drown, and yet " It " took itself "really, ab- 
solutely " serious. 

To the outside reader I would say don't take 
-' It " for a type of Canada— for while " It " 
may have been picturesque " It " was '^ abso- 
lutely and really " unique. 

What a grand contrast was the people I saw 
in Ottawa, gathered as they were from all 
parts of the Dominion to attend 

THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT. 

The ladies sitting near me — some of 
whom were Americans — told me they 
had seldom seen a finer body of men. It may 
have been true, and, no doubt, was, but the 
magnificentl}' gowned women blinded the e^es 
of man for men. These women were not only 
beautifully gowned, but, in manner, face and 
form almost regal. There were types of beauty 
I have rarely seen in any land, but what was 
more pleasing still, was the ease of manner of 
these Canadian women — wives, daughters and 
friends of the members. 

Could you, who think of Canada and '^ The 
Lady of the Snow " in one and the same 



The Wandering Yankee. 7^) 

thought, have looked with me down from the 
gallery, upon that galaxy of beauty in the 
decollete of a Worth or a Felix, you would not 
wonder that Dana Gibson was in Ottawa, the 
guest of Lord Miuto, the Governor-General of 
Canada, seeking new t^'pes, or the perfection 
in woman for which he has long sought. '^ Am 
I an enthusiast ?" without any question I an- 
swer '^ 3'es." I, who like many of 3'ou, had once 
thought of Canada as everything else than 
what it is, can scarcely realize what I am ever 
finding that is new and pleasing in this beauti- 
ful North Land, — destined to grow side and 
side with our own Vast Domain. I was in- 
debted to Hubert Manley for the rare pleasure 
of this opening day. "Come up to Ottawa, 
Kube," wrote Manley, '' and 3'ou will see some- 
thing you will enjo}'.-' To you who know this 
genial host, and in himself he is a host, I need 
not tell you that I could not have thought of 
the real pleasure he gave me in his everN' court- 
esy. He had secured for me the best position 
in the gallery for seeing everything to the best 
advantage — ^the throne to the right, with a full 
view of every part of the Senate floor below^ 
where sat the members — the leaders of the 
Dominion — their wives, daughters and friends. 
By a strange coincidence the pleasure of it all 
was greatly enhanced when I found that the 
be^Mtiful woman at my left was a distant cou- 
sin from Sacramento, California, who, like my- 
self, was visiting Canada for the first time. 
Sti'ange, for neither of us knew that the other 
was in Canada, and only chanced to meet. 

It is not my province to describe the cere- 
mony of the opening. It was after the manner 



74 



The Wandering Yankee. 



of the Opening of Parliament in London — the 
gorgeous dress of the officers, bishops and 
members of the foreign consuls was a revela- 
tion to me. I had never thought to see any- 
thing so Royal on the American Continent. 
The ceremony was very impressive and very 
beautiful. After it all, through the kindness 
of my host, I met many of the ministers and 




PARLIAMEXT HILL FROM THE lUVER. 

members from all parts of the Dominion. They 
compared most favorably with our own Senate 
at Washington. 

I was fortunate during the ceremony in be- 
ing near " Inez," who seemed to know by name 
every lady of note on the Senate floor below, 
and very kindly pointed them out to me. They 
had nearly all entered and were seated, when 
through the door to the left of the ''throne " 



Tlic Wandering Yankee, 75 

entered a beautiful woman in a handsome 
white satin gown, with a hand painted design 
across the front of the sldrt. Tlie bodice was 
trimmed with lace and pearls, and a cluster of 
crimson flowers. Her coronet was of dia- 
monds. Her necklet was of diamonds and 
pearls. I instinctively asked of Inez : " Pray, 
tell me who is the beautiful lady just enter- 
ing r 

'' That," said Inez, " is Lady Minto, wife of 
our Governor-General, Lord Minto. Next to 
the Countess 3^ou will see Mrs. Maude, wife of 
^[ajor Maude." Then she pointed out the 
charming Lady Laurier, wife of Sir Wilfrid 
Laurier, the Premier of Canada, Lady Ade- 
laide Taylor, Lady Grey, Lady Alix Beauclerc, 
Mrs. W. C. Edwards, Mme. Beique, Mrs. Law- 
rence Powder and Miss Power, wife and daugh- 
ter of the Speaker of the Senate ; Mrs. and the 
^Misses Borden, and their guest, Mrs. Pellat, of 
Toronto; Miss Mary Scott, daughter of the 
Secretary of State; Mrs. Everard Fletcher, 
^Irs. Fielding and Miss Florence and Mis.? 
Z. Fielding, who are an honor to the land of 
Evangeline, wife and daughters of the Minis- 
ter of Finance; Lady Cartwright and daughter, 
Mrs. O'Grady Haly, Mrs. Wm. ^Mulock and her 
daughter, Mrs. Arthur Kirkpatrick, Lady Da- 
vies, Mrs. David Mills, Miss Tarte, Miss Doutre, 
Mrs. Plunket Magann, Miss Church. " See," 
said Inez, " that lady in black, she is the wife 
of the Hon. Frederick D. ^lonk, who, you say, 
reminds j^ou of your great Joseph Clioate, Am- 
bassador to England, and whom you tell me 
you so much admire. Did Manley tell you that 
he is the Leader of the Conservative Partv ? 



The Wandcrino- Yankee. 



He is, indeed, a most affable and capable man." 
Then she continued to point out the notable 
ladies: Madame J. B. Casgrain, Mrs. Laviolette, 
^Irs. Frederick Cook, Mrs. Cochrane, Mrs. Mac- 
kay and daughter. Miss Mackay, Mrs. Gibson, 
Miss Hobson, Mrs. Hendry, Mrs. S. E. Dawson, 
Mrs. A. E. Fripp, Mrs. James MacGregor, Mrs. 
Cockburn Clemow and Miss Gwendoline Cle- 
mow, Miss Seymour, Mrs. M. P. Davis, Miss 
Davis, Miss Frances Sullivan, Mrs. Dale Har- 
riss, Mrs. Duncan Macpherson, the Misses Van 
Straubenzie, Miss Hays, Mrs. J. P. Feather- 
stone, Mrs. Boyd, (England); Mrs. Geo. Bryson, 
Miss Lingham, Mrs. Neilson, Miss Briggs, Mry. 
Melvin Jones, Miss Melvin Jones, the Misses 
Kerr, Mrs. Walter Mackay, Miss Flood, Mrs. 
Casgrain, (Windsor); Mrs. Thompson, ^Irs. 
D'Arcy Scott, and Mrs. Fleming. 

'^ Have you named them all ?" I asked, '' I 
don't think you mentioned Mrs. Fisher, the 
^[inister's wife.'' Inez only smiled and sur- 
prised me by saying: " There is no Mrs. Fisher 
— yet." You who were not there, may w^ant 
to call me to account for this mentioning of all 
the ladies, but had you looked down upon that 
galaxy of lovelj^ Avomen, you, too, would have 
felt as I; ^'They are all worthy of special men- 
tion." I did not see in all the number any 
whom rd wish to class as " And others." 

Looking down from the vice-regal box in the 
gallery, watching the ceremony, were Mr. 
Charles Dana Gibson and his beautiful wife, 
with their friends, Mrs. and ^liss Dent and Mr. 
Lionel Guest. 

When I left that night, I felt, ''What a rare 
treat is in store for me ! To w^rite of Ottawa 



The Wandering; Yankee. 77 



will be a pleasure, indeed !" Every one I met 
was so kind, and the Qiij so beautiful, that I 
felt to write of Ottawa and its people, would 
be but to let the heart guide the pen and the 
task could not but be a work of pleasure. For 
that matter, however, this whole Canadian 
itineracy has been the most delightful work 
of my life. I ever feel that I am but paying a 
debt of gratitude to a people I love, in thus 
writing of them and their interesting country. 

MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT. 

There are many members of Parliament re- 
siding in Montreal. With us, at home, a 
member of Congress or Senator must reside 
in the district he represents, or, at least 
nominally; not so here. A man may be a re 
sident of Longueuil and ^'et be elected for a 
seat from Victoria if he can get the votes 
Thus we find Hon. Thomas Chase Casgrain 
K.C., LL.D., representing Montmorency; J 
Alexander Camille Madore, B.C.L., Hoche 
laga; ex-Mayor Joseph R. F. Prefoniaine, Mai 
sonneuve and Terrebonne; Frederick Monck 
K.C., D.C.L., Jacques Cartier; Emile Leonard 
Laval, Island of Montreal. All of these re 
side in the city, yet represent other places 
The members for the city are the Hon 
Joseph Israel Tarte, P.O., St. Mary's consti- 
tuency; F. G. Roddick, St. Antoine; Aid. Gal- 
lery, St. Anne's; Robt. Bickerdike, St. Law- 
rence division; Joseph Brunet, St. James divi- 
sion. The Hon. Mr. Tarte is also Minister of 
Public Works. 

As stated elsewhere Frederick D. Monk is 
the leader of the Conservative party for this 
Province. 



78 



The Wandering Yankee. 



THE REAL STATUS OF THE CANADIAN 
AS A FIGHTER. 



I had heard much of the prowess of the Oa- 
iiadian as a man of war, but I had never 
known his real fighting status until one day at 
the boarding house table. Ah I there's the 
place you learn things. Things you can't find 
in books, or anywhere else, are discussed and 




"so CON 'a the bairns." 

decided conclusively at the table of a typical 
boarding house. Never go to a hotel, if you 
have an inquiring mind and want to learn 
things. No, go to the aforesaid " typical " and 
you will learn all about it. No matter what 
" it " it ' is, on which you want full informa- 
tion, 3^ou may gain it, here. But about 



The Wandering Yankee. 70 



the " fighting status of the Canadian !" 
The man with the Information, at the 
other end of the table had the floor. 
He was telling the party with the side 
whiskers that : — " Those English soldiers 
ill South Africa can't fight ! Why, ten 
thousand Canadians could do more than two 
hundred thousand English — and do it easy. 
Those English are not in our class as fight- 
ers !■' and, then, he passed his cup for more 
tea, while he, of the side whiskers sat speech- 
less at this " 20 to 1 shot," 

I felt very grateful to the man with the In- 
formation, as I do love to collect valuable data 
— and this was something I could not have 
hoped to collect from any other source in the 
world. I heard the landlady, a good old Scot, 
telling the Colonel, after dinner : — " Ah, ye 
mus' na min' th' mon wutli th' Inflamashun, 
he's na phelan weel th' da'. Tha bonny 
Canuck con fight a well 'tis tru, an' so can tha 
ither bairns o' his auld mither !" 

THE STAR BOARDER WITH THE GILT 
CUP. 

I tried to talk to him, but I soon saw that 
he thought me out of his class. 

" It's been a pleasant day," said I, one even- 
ing at the table. 

" Beg youah pahdon !" said he. 

'' It's been a pleasant day," I repeated, not 
wishing that he should lose my opinion of the 
beautiful Canadian weather we'd had since 
breakfast. 

'^ Yes, so I heard," and he looked through 



so 



The Wandering Yankee. 



and beyond me, not allowing liis gaze to slop 
at where I was sitting. Although I knew^ him 
to be the Star boarder, yet I would make him 
talk to me. So, I continued: — 




" WALK THIS WAY." 

" You have a fine city." 
" I beg you ah palidon !" 
" I say you have a fine cit^' ." 
" Oh, have I ?" 



The Wander in s[ Yankee. 81 



No use, he wouldn't talk. I couldn't get him 
further than ^' I beg youah pahdon !" Then I 
was sure he was a bank president, or some 
high railroad official, or possibly one of the 
city aldermen, at any rate, I felt myself wither- 
ing in his presence, and, thereafter, took a 
seat furthest away from him. One day I had 
occasion to go into one of the large stores for 
some trifling purchase, when, who should meet 
me just inside, but this Star boarder. " What 
do you wish ?" I was so surprised to have him 
ask the question that I followed the regular 
custom, and said : "I beg youah pahdon," but 
continued, " I wish a pad of pencil paper." 

'' Walk this way, please." 

We being built on different lines, I found it 
impossible, but I followed him down through 
several aisles to the '^ pad " counter, where he 
told one of the clerks in his usual haughty 
mein : " Pad o' pencil !" and there he left me — 
to find my wa}^ out alone. Not until then did 
it dawn upon me how presumptuous I had been 
to talk with him — why, I had as well tried to 
talk to the one important personage of my 
home village — the feeder of the threshing ma- 
chine or the man who runs the cider press. 

Moral, know your man before you try to be 
agreeable. 

" SHOPLIFTING "—A FINE ART IN 
MONTREAL. 

They are no novices who ply their trade 
among the Christmas shoppers here. No, they 
are artists, as instance the well dressed lady 
(?) who was being watched b}' the high priced 



82 The Wandering Yankee. 

detectives in one of the large department stores. 
They saw her deftly taking articles and care- 
lessly droi^ijin^ them beneath her large cloak. 
When they had collected sufficient evidence, 
they politely asked her into the private office. 
She went without hesitation. How fortunate. 
A well known city judge was in the store at 
the time. He was sent for — they would hold a 
preliminary trial. He came, sat down in the of- 
fice chair. " Now, my dear lady/' — the judge 
was a very Chesterfield of politeness — " I re- 
gret exceedingly that we have the very painful 
duty of i^utting a^ou in the very embarrassing- 
situation of being searched." 

'^ Oh, my dear — dear Judge, don't mention it. 
— No embarrassment whatever — Here " — to 
tlie lady searcher — '' let the good work go 
on !■' The " embarrassment " was all on the 
other side — not a thing was found and the wo- 
man had to be released. 

Later on, wiien the Judge was through his 
shopping, he returned to the office for his 
great fur coat, which he had left earlier in the 
evening, as the store was warm, and putting it 
on found every one of the stolen articles in his 
pocket. To have transferred these articles to 
the pocket of the Judge — who was to try the 
case — while in the presence of the detectives, 
certainly can come under no other head than 
that of a fine art. 

NAMES OF ,FUNERAL ATTENDANTS. 

Funerals in Canada are very largely attend- 
ed, unlike in our cold, practical care-only-for- 
yourself country. And again, unlike with us, 



The Wandering Yankee. 



the newspapers in reporting the funeral exer- 
cises, give the names of those in attendance, 
if at all possible, so that the bereaved family 
may see whom the}' may look upon as their 
friends, and lay away the list of those friends. 
It softens the sorrow to feel that when death 
takes away a loved one, your friends have sor- 
rowed with you. 

Mourning Emblem. 

The Canadian does not generally indicate his 
or her grief by expensive black. A simple band 
of black worn around the left arm by both 
men and women is all the mark of mourning 
for departed friends, save in certain in- 
stances where the widow wears full mourning, 
as with us, but not always, the band answer- 
ing the same purpose. This band custom pre- 
vails at home for a member of a fraternity or 
society, but here it is the general badge of 
mourning. It is so much better than the full 
dress of mourning, too often worn for fashion 
rather than for sorrow, besides it is an ex- 
pense ver}' often burdensome. 

THE NEWSPAPEKS. 

The Montreal newspapers are up-to-date, 
the larger number of them having the most 
approved machinery of the day, in the way of 
type-setting machines, and presses. There are 
but two Sunday papers : the " Sun," — Eng- 
glish — and " Les D^bats," — French, but Mont- 
real is well supplied from New York, whose 
papers are had here before Sunday-school 



84 The Wandcrino- Yankee. 



time. The newspapers are very well conduct- 
ed and seem prosperous. They are like the 
New York " Times." They print '' all the 
news that is fit to print." They do not all 
lean so far to the side of the Puritan as the 
"Witness." Why, they say it won't take an ad- 
vertisement " piano for sale," unless it's Up- 
right,^ and would throw out a full market re- 
port unless the '' whiskey is steady." It does 
much good all the same, going into the homes 
of the best people throughout the city and 
Dominion. 

MUSICAL MONTREAL. 

When I asked the Colonel to look up the 
musical people of the city while I w\as down 
home talking to the school children about 
Canada, he said : " What do / know about 
music !" It reminds me of a friend of mine 
whom I once heard talk on that subject. Said 
this friend : " Apropos of music, if there is any- 
thing in the world that w ill make a woman 
honest it is marriage. Now, I well remember 
a young lady, living in Brooklyn, who used to 
allow me to sit and sing by the hour to her, and 
she used to sigh and sigh, and say, ' Oh, what 
a lovely voice you have !' and so flattered me 
about my singing that I fell in love with her 
and we got married. Now, she won't even let 
me sing to the baby, she says it is so trying to 
the dear child's nerves." 

Well, I left the Colonel, as I remarked be- 



*Note. — When one of the Editors saw this 
little pleasantry, he wittily remarked "we take 
anything that's " square." 



The Wandering Yankee. ^~) 

fore, to look after '' Musical Montreal," and if 
YOu'd see his report you'd — well, I won't give 
it, for I want the Colonel to be allowed to re- 
main in town. You see, he had been raised 
in a village where the bo^^s had once held a 
festival and made money enough to buy a 
second-hand band, and the Colonel's musical 
education had been so sadly warped by that 
band, that in his report he had singers with 
fine "tuby" voices — others singing '"trombone" 
solos, but in the end had you all tossed aboat 
on "• high seas." I censured the Colonel very 
severely, and, I think, he feels it deeply, as he 
should. But, then, levity aside, (the above is 
levity.) Montreal may be well classed a mu- 
sical city, in fact, I have found Canada a 
music-loving country. It seems born in the 
people — you see it in the schools, where much 
attention is paid to it, and excellent results 
are shown. I have spoken elsewhere of the 
Annual Musicale, given in the Arena, on Em- 
pire Day, by the school children, under the 
supervision of Professor Smith. It is a spe- 
cial feature in the ladies' colleges and con- 
A'ents, attracting students from, not only the 
Dominion, but hundreds of our own fair chil- 
dren come here from the States. This will be 
more of a musical Mecca than ever, now that 
the fame of the Ro^^al Victoria College is go- 
ing abroad. 

Among the singers Miss Marie Hollinshead 
stands fairly at the head among sopranos. 
She was educated in London, under Professor 
William Shakespeare, who speaks of her re- 
markable talent, that her voice is one of very 



86 The Wandcruig Yankee. 

rare loveliness and great i)Ower. • Her singing 
has been warmly applauded both in England 
and in America. She is a great favorite in 
Montreal, where she is the soprano soloist of 
the Church of St. James the Apostle. 

The place among sopranos held by Miss 
Hollinshead, is held by Miss Jeanie Rankin 
among contraltos. The moment she rises to 
sing she instils a pleasant confidence in her 
listeners. I shall never forget the first night 
I heard her sing in the American Presbyterian 
Church, where by chance I wandered and took 
a seat in the gallery. I was so pleased that I 
forgot to go out when the others did, but was 
repaid by hearing the practice of the choir in 
which her voice played a rich part. I didn't 
mind at all finding myself locked in, and hav- 
ing to grope my way out through the dark 
Sunday-school rooms in the rear, for I had 
heard Miss Jeanie Rankin sing — a pleasure 
which has often since been mine— a pleasure 
enhanced by the sermons of Rev. Dr. T. S. Mc- 
Williams, the young Kentucky minister, heard 
between solos. 

Miss Sadie Bowling, singing at Knox 
Church, has a ver^^ sweet contralto voice and 
a most charming personality. Hers is a voice 
of rare promise. 

Miss Florence Wishart, another contralto 
soloist, Church of St. James the Apostle, only 
numbers her admirers by those who hear her 
pleasing voice. 

Miss Fannie Pringle, formerly of Toronto, 
is a valuable acquisition to Montreal's mu- 
sical circles, and possesses a remarkably pure 
soprano voice of exceptionally high compass. 



TJic Wandering Yankee. 87 

Space will not permit of detail, but it must 
not detract from those I mention, for they 
are worthy of all I would say, but for the 
meagreness of my pages. 



OKGANISTS. 

Among these are many artists, a few of 
whom are Mr. J. H. Robinson, an enthusiastic 
musician, at Dr. Barclay's Church — St. Paul 
Presbyterian; J. B. Norton, Christ's Church 
Cathedral; E. Broome, American Presbyte- 
rian; Horace W. Reyner, Douglas Methodist, 
is as well a conductor of Oratorios, and to 
him much is due for many of the fine Orato- 
rios given in Montreal. Prof. J. A. Fowler, 
St. Patrick's, Emery Lavigne,* F. H. Blair, St. 
Andrews; P. J. lUsley, St. George's Church. 
John Herbert Lauer, of St. James the Apostle. 
The Pelletier family, father and sons, all or- 
ganists of ability. Miss Victoria Cartier, 
graduate of Paris, is a most excellent artist. 
She plays at St. Louis de France. Prof. P. J. 
Shea, of St. Ann's, is also choir master. His 
choir of young men are well trained. 



*Note. — I had scarcely finished the above 
when Mr. Lavigne's death was announced (July 
2nd, 1902). He was a musician of rare ability. 
Being an accompanist he has often been 
selected to accompany such world known peo- 
ple as Madame Nordica, Mile Camille Urso, 
Jean Gerardy, Stanley, the English vocalist, 
and many others famous in the musical world. 



88 The Wandering Yankee. 

Among choir masters, Coroner Edmund 
McMahon ably conducts the great choir in the 
Church of Notre-Dame. 

Professor G. Couture conducts the choir of 
St. James Cathedral, one of the finest choirs 
in the city, with E. Lebel, first tenor; Mendoza 
Langlois, first baritone; and J. Destroismai- 
son, first basso, three of the really great sing- 
ers of the city. 

O. Stewart Taylor is another of the able 
choir masters of Montreal. He conducts the. 
choir of Dominion Square Methodist Church. 

A. Truman Clibbon, singing at the Erskine 
Presb3'terian Church, has a remarkably rich 
tenor voice that bids fair to carry him into de- 
served success. 

Edmund Burke, a rising young lawyer, is 
among the fine baritones of the city. He 
made for himself a name, last winter, in the 
part of Elijah, in that Oratorio. He sings at 
St. Paul's Presbyterian. 

A tenor who is meeting with deserved suc- 
cess is J. Leslie Tedford, soloist of St. An- 
drew's Presbyterian Church. He is a popular 
favorite of the public. He is a tenor of rare 
promise. 

Sj'dney Dugan, also of St. Andrew's, is a 
well-known name among baritone singers. If 
he has the patience he has a voice that is 
capable of marvelous development. As a 
basso singer, E. Duquette has few equais 
here. 

]M. J. J. (loulet, a violinist, has done great 
work in orchestral music, while Charles Reich- 
ling, Alfred Deseve, and Alfred Larsen, (the 



The IVandcrincr Yankee. 89 



'i> 



latter a pupil of the great Joachim) deserve 
more than a passing note on that queen of 
musical instruments, the violin. M. J. B. 
Dubois ranks among the ablest of cello play- 
ers. 

Among the musical of Montreal Mr. and 
Mrs. C. H. Gould rank deservedly high. He 
as a lecturer, and Mrs. Gould for her teaching 
and singing. 

Pianists of note are so many that I must 
forego the list, but not to mention Emiliano 
Renaud would be to leave out of Musical 
Montreal a name I should not want to see 
missing when I read the proof sheets of my 
book. 

Among amateurs, the niece of the famous 
Dr. Shepherd, Miss Lois Shepherd, has a so- 
prano voice of rare sweetness. The same 
may well be said of Miss Rachael Dawes, 
daughter of Colonel Dawes. 

Music is a great feature in the churches 
here on Christmas and Easter time, especially' 
so in the Roman Catholic churches. I have 
never seen a more pleasing ceremony or listen- 
ed to church music more inspiring than what 
I saw and heard at the Jesuit Church, on 
Christmas Eye, and on Christmas morning tit 
the great Notre Dame, where Coroner Mc- 
^fahon's vast choir sang out the ^' Peace on 
Earth, Good Will to Man." I had never 
heard in a New York church anything to 
equal the singing of that morning. Twelve 
paid soloists are of this choir, and a chorus of 
one hundred. Chorus choirs are the rule, 
quartette, the rare exception. 

This is of necessitv but a hurried crlance. 



90 The Wandering Yankee. 

Montreal has so much of music that had I 
known, I should have passed it by as one of 
the points requiring a volume to itself. I find 
that with all my search, I have left out such 
names as Wm. Gxivvj, J. Poliquin, the one of 
St. Paul's, the other of St. James (St. Denis 
street), and many others of worth, but it's 
hard for a stranger to find them all. I do 
not know if the city gives its own the proper 
encouragement, but to bring out the best in 
music, a loyal city will even allow itself at 
times to be bored that the struggling begin- 
ner may have heart to go on. The music of a 
city is a great part of itself, and no city 
should neglect developing and giving encour- 
agement to its amateurs. Some, of course, in 
all cities reach a point where they lose all in- 
terest in what home talent may be able to do, 
and depend entirely upon importations. ^Yhile 
foreign talent is well to be interspersed, home 
talent should not be neglected and discour- 
aged, as home talent properl^^ developed and 
heartened becomes to other cities foreign 
talent, and I am pleased to find in Montreal 
very much for any loyal city to be proud of, 
and cannot urge too strongly to encourage 
the real worth that I have found herein. 

I had almost closed my sketch wiien a Bal- 
timore friend asked me if I had heard Miss 
INIabel Virtue sing. 

" No, I have not, and yet I have heard of 
her." 

" Well, if you miss hearing her, your Musi- 
cal Montreal will be incomplete. I claim to 
know a voice when I hear it, and if Miss Vir- 



The Wandering Yankee. 91 

tue is not a coming opera singer of a very 
high order, then I don't know a voice when I 
hear it." His enthusiasm sent me hunting 
for the opportunity of hearing for myself, and 
I can now emphasize what my Baltimore 
friend said of her wonderful voice — more in 
the promise even than in present execution. 
Her tones are clear, and for one so young, 
most powerful. I know the full criticism 
that will be made upon my j^rediction, and 
knowing that, will say that if her voice is 
given the attention it merits she will vet be 
heard, and rank among the great opera sing- 
ers in America. Is that strong ? Time will 
tell. 

Ladies' Morning Musical. 

To this Club Montreal is greatly indebted 
for some of its best musical entertainments. 
These ladies secure the best talent possible 
and give one or two very select concerts each 
season. 



THE SAH^ORS' INSTITUTE, 

As elsewhere stated, was once the old Mont- 
I'eal Hotel, and is worthy a note, by the way, 
as it is a model for all cities touched by the 
seafarer. 

This would be better called a "Sailors' 
Home." " Institute " is too harsh a word for 
a place where the boys can feel that there m a 
welcome for them when in port, a place where 
they can always know that somebody is glad 
to see them after their long voyage. I have 



9 '2 



The Wandering Yankee. 






never seen a sea port where there is so little 
of the ills of sailor life as in Montreal. The 
boys spend their evenings here instead of 
carousing about the streets. They may do it 
here, but I have never seen an instance of it, 
and I have seen them in large numbers at the 




SAILOKS LNSTITITE. 

Institute, where on each Tuesday night is 
held a concert in which the sailors take a 
most entertaining part. The choirs of the 
various Protestant churches furnish the rest 
of the music. I have had the pleasure of 
hearing at these concerts such talent as Miss 
Hollinshead, Miss Florence Wishart, Mrs. P. 
St. Clair Hamilton, and other noted singers as 
well as pianists. Among the latter is Miss 
Myers and little Grace Grant, the eleven year 



The IVandcring Yanlice. 



93 



old cliild — the pet of the sailors — who shows 
great musical talent, young as she is. 




J. EITCHIE BELL, ''THE COMMODOKE. 

The great ship owners of Montreal take a 
very active interest in the Institute, not only 
with their money but with their presence. 




GRACE GHAN'J'. 

In J. Ritchie Bell, " The Commodore," we 
find the right man in the right place, 



94 



The Wandering Yankee. 



as manager. I have rarely seen so cap- 
able a man. He has made of the Insti- 
tute a success by making all the sailors his 
friends, Fitz Maurice went with me one even- 
ing, as you may see by the margins. 

There is also a Catholic Institute, near by, 
in which great interest is taken by sailors and 
citizens. 







In this ]\Iontreal Hotel have resided, from 
time to time, many men who have played vast 
parts in our own history. See that corner 
room on the second floor. It was the one oc- 
cupied by Jefferson Davis, in ISGT, when in 
Montreal. Very many other Southerners of 
note have lived in the old historic house. 

CHURCHES. 

The churches of Montreal are one of its best 
features. There is no city on the continent 
with as many large church buildings, and in 
few cities are they better attended, and what 
is remarkable, the men as well as the women 
are seen in the congregations — almost evenly 



The IVandcruii^ Yankee. 95 



divided. This means one of two things, they 
are either very religious or they have excellent 
ministers to listen to. Of the first I cannot 
speak, but on the second proposition, I am 
pleased to note that I have not heard a poor 
sermon in Montreal, and I seldom attend the 
same church twice, that I may hear as many as 
possible, and form a correct opinion of the 
ministers as a whole. Of the choirs I have 
spoken, under the head of ''Musical Montreal." 

Notre Dame. 

This is a landmark of the city, centrally lo 
cated, just across Notre Dame Street, from 
Place d'Armes Square. It seats 12,000, and on 
occasion has held 15,000 people. It is 2:>0 feet 
long, by 131 feet wide. It has two towers 227 
feet high, in the west one of w^hich is the great 
bell, ^' Le Gros Bourdon," which weighs 25,610 
pounds. One cannot but stop to think of this 
enormous w^eight. If again one should 
moralize, a la Dugald McDonald,* one 
might take a long look into the fu- 
ture, to the time when Macaulay's New 
Zealander, after growing tired of contemplat- 
ing the ruins of London Bridge,, returns home 



*Note. — Mr. Dugald McDonald has written 
a most intricate and interesting pamphlet on 
the Pyramids, in which he claims that the 
measurements of these gigantic i)iles show 
conclusive!}' that the Egyptians knew the 
earth's circumference, size of the moon, and 
lots of other things that we haven't found out 
yet. 



96 



The IVaiidcriiiii Yankee. 



by way of Montreal and finds, here, amid the 
ruins of this city, this great bell, he might 
be seen to sit and wonder over its ponderous 
size, and as he discovers the figures^ he might 
be heard to contemplate aloud: "Ah me — even 




NOTliE DAME CHURCH. 

the people of the Xineteenth Century were far 
advanced in the sciences. 25,0001 — Strange, 
Strange! Even in that long ago, they knew 
the circumference of the earth — ^ 25,000 
miles !' This alone would not be proof, but 
' 640' — the number of acres in each of those 



The Wandering Yankee. 



9^ 



miles — is proof positive that they meant to 
ring down through the long corridors of time 
these two things, w^hich could not have been 
coincidence — but facts." Then he may find the 
ten other bells in the east tower, and search 
out the figures thereon, and adding, find their 




INTERIOR OF XOTRE DAME CHURCH. 

combined weight, 21,676, will be even more con- 
vinced of our '' purpose in bells," in thus 
conveying to future ages that we knew the 
diameter of the moon, 2167.66. That final " 6 " 



98 The Wandering Yankee. 

I leave to the ingenuity of Mr. McDonald, or 
the aforesaid New Zealander, to account for, 
as it is ^ G ' too much for the Colonel and me. 
Apropos of those other ten bells, eighteen men 
are required to ring them. 

'' Rube," said the Colonel one day, when we 
were yisiting this great church, " are you going 
to tell about that controversy between the 

Devil and the Wind, 

at the corner of Notre Dame and St. Suljiice 
streets, just outside this church, the day the 
'' old fellow ' told the wind to wait for him 
while he went inside, and how that the wind 
is still waiting?" " No, Colonel, I'm not — That 
story has been told by every guide-book maker 
since the controversy, and I want to prove an 
exception in this one instance at least." 

The interior of Notre Dame would require 
many pages to barely touch upon what is 
therein to be seen — ^its double gallery, magnifi- 
cent altar, chapels, rare paintings, (by Del 
8arto, Carnevali, Minockeri and many other 
noted artists), statues and beautiful frescos, — 
and is worthy the attention given it by all 
visitors to Montreal. The architect of this 
church was an Irishman, — James O'Donnell 
— his monument is the church itself, as he lies 
within the vault of Notre Dame. He began 
its foundation in 1823, and had it ready for 
services in 1829. The cost is said to have been 
|f>,000,000, which will give some conception of 
its vast proportions, and magnificence. The 
services are in French. I had the pleasure 
one Sunday of hearing the Rev. Father Labelle. 
I say " pleasure," for though I could under- 



The Wandering Yankee. 99 

stand but little, yet, his oratory was so finished 
that it was a delight to listen to him. 

To better appreciate the great seating 
capacity of Notre Dame, compare it with St. 
Patrick's, on fifth Avenue, the largest chumh 
building in New York city. Notre Dame seats 
12,000, while St. Patrick's seats but 3,100. 

The Chapel of the Sacred Heart 
is to the rear and adjoining Notre Dame. To 
me the principal charm of this chapel are its 
paintings, all of which were done by Canadian 
artists. The one by M. Ludger Larose — " The 
dispute of the Sacrament," is a fine reproduc- 
tion of Raphael's great picture in Rome. This 
picture, or fresco, is 22 x 18 feet. It is one of 
fourteen great frescos — all of which are 
worthy of deep study. 

To fully appreciate both church and chapel 
you should procure the pamphlets which give 
in detail what is therein to be seen. 

Jesuit Church. 
On Bleury street, near St. Catherine street, is 
another large church, worthy a visit. It seats 
1,500. One of its features is its fine choir of 
cultivated voices. During my stay in the city 
the great organ-builders, Cassavent Brothers 
of St. Hyacinthe, P.Q., finished a magnificent 
organ for this church. I used often to wonder 
why these great musical instruments cost so 
much money, but one day, while this one was 
building, I purposely failed to understand the 
meaning of the sign and climbed to the loft, 
where I learned from the foreman of the 
builders more about the organs of an organ 
than I had ever known before. He took me all 
through it, told me that it had 3,422 pipes, from 



L.ofC. 



100 



TJic Wa)idcrins[ Yankee. 



14 of an inch, to some 14 x 17 inches. It was 
the city. It was made by the Cassavent 
Brothers had G. M. Dethier, of St. Francis 
Xavier, New Yorlv City, said to be the greatest 




INTERIOR OF JESUITS CHURCH. 

organist in the world, to play on this occasion. 
I had heard organ music before, but the play- 
ing of this great musician was a revelation. 

Next to this church is the St. Mary's College, 
under the supervision of the Jesuit Order. 



The IVandcring Vankcc. 101 

St. James Cathedral 

Is situated on Dorchester street, opposite Do- 
minion Square. It is built after the plan of 
St. Peter's at Rome, and is about one-third the 
size. It is 330 feet long, by 220 feet wide. It 
has a St. Peter's dome 250 feet high. It will 
cost when completed nearly |3,000,000. It was 
begun in 1870. Its architect w^as Victor Bor- 
geau, who went to Rome to study the plan of 
the great church, of which this is a model, all 
save the roof, which is an incline instead of 
flat. When completed, it is said that it will 
be one of the finest churches on the Continent. 
Rev. Father Michaud, C.S.V., who is still living, 
and ninety, was most active in working out the 
plans, and in many ways helping in superin- 
tending the structure. The work, which as 
before said, was begun in 1870, stopped in 1878, 
and nothing more was done until 1885. The 
opening mass was celebrated in 181)4. The 
altar railing, a gift of the English-speaking 
membership, as a memorial to Father James 
Callaghan, is of fine Tennessee marble and 
Mexican onyx. The beauty of the altar, how- 
ever, is the bronze canopy, a facsimile of the 
one at St. Peter's, Rome. It is \evj elaborate 
and imposing. It is the work of a Canadian, 
Mr. Arthur Vincent. It cost nearly |10,000. 

There are some fine paintings to be seen here. 
One especially, the gift of the French Govern- 
ment to Archbishop Bruchesi. It is the cele- 
bration of the first mass in Montreal, b}'^ 
Laurent. 

This is the sixth cathedral in Montreal. The 
first, under Mgr. Lartigue, was Notre Dame, 



102 The Wandering Yankee. 

which was used in 1821. The second — in 1822 
— was the old Hotel Dieu. The third was — in 
1825 — at St. James, on St. Denis street, near 
St. Catherine. In 1852, under Bishop Bourget, 
the fourth Cathedral (temporary) was the 
Chapel of the Provident Asylum, corner of St. 
Catherine and Berri streets. In 1855, the fifth 
Cathedral was on a part of the ground where 
stands the present great structure. 

St. Patrick's. 

This large church is on three streets. It 
faces south on Lagauchetiere, runs through to 
Dorchester with St. Alexander passing to the 
east. It is of Gothic architecture, with all 
features in keeping — the great carved altars 
— tw^o on either side and one in center far 
back, the three extending to the high ceiling; 
the windows reaching up nearly forty feet; 
the niches for the beautiful paintings and sta- 
tuar^^, every part, in fact, that was possible is 
gothic in style. It is beautiful in effect and 
most pleasing. 

There are to be seen here many things of 
especial interest, which to the casual observer 
are not fully appreciated. The carpet covering 
the floor of the great sanctuary, designed and 
made by the ^lorgan Brothers or for them, in 
Europe, after suggestions given by the late 
Father Quinlivan, is a study and is most em- 
blematic. In square-like figures are the 
shamrock for Ireland, the rose for England, 
the thistle for Scotland and the maple leaf 
for Canada. The marvel of the whole is the 
great number of shades of green contained in 
the figures and body. 



The IVandcring Yankee. 103 

The altar lamp weighs 2,200 pounds. It was 
made in Brooklyn, all except the six large 
figures of angels, made in Europe. It is very 
heavily jeweled. The angels were given by 
six families of the parish. 

The four altar windows, representing the 
four apostles, were made by Locke, who did 
the magnificent decorating and fresco work of 
the church. 

Two marble side altars — the gift of the par- 
ishioners — are works of art. 

To me the most pleasing of all is the won- 
derful coloring of the great gothic windows. 
I have never seen colors so delicately blend- 
ed. They are as pleasing a study as a rare 
oil painting. These windows were made at Ins- 
bruk, in Europe. .While the one represent- 
ing the patron saint — which portrays various 
acts in the life of St. Patrick, with a fine por- 
trait of the late Father Dowd, of pleasant 
memory, in the lowermost panel, was being 
made, the late Empress of Austria was no 
pleased with it that she had it duplicated 
and presented it to a church in Vienna. 

The organ is one of the sweetest tone in 
the city. It was made by the Cassavent 
Brothers, the great organ builders, of St. 
Hyacinthe, whose organs are in many of the 
large churches of Montreal. 

The choir, with Mr. George Carpenter as 
choir-master, is composed of one hundred 
members. This is the only Catholic church in 
the city where is heard Congregational sing- 
ing. St. Patrick's, in this, follows the lead 
of Newman and his companions, who, in the 



04 



The Wandcrino; Yankee. 



last centurj' advocated singing by the congre- 
gation. 

This church is one that all tourists should 
see. 

Notre Darae de Lourdes. 

There is a small church you would be sure to 
miss if your attention were not called to it, 




NOTJIE DAME DE LOURDES. 

and to miss seeing it would be a regret, as it is 
very beautiful. Some say the most beautiful 



TJic Wandering Yankee. 105 

in Montreal. I refer to Notre Dame de 
Lourdes, on St. Catherine street, just east of 
St. Denis a half block. Its main feature is the 
grotto in the basement chapel. This grotto is 
a facsimile of the famous one at Lourdes, in 
France, where so many miracles are said to be 
performed. There are many fine paintings and 
frescoes in this little church. It is well worth 
a visit. It is one of the many churches under 
the 

Sulpician Fathers, 
whose churches, schools and hospitals cover 
the city of Montreal. A list of which contains: 
Orand Seminary, Philosophy House, College of 
Montreal, St. Patrick's Church, Notre Dame 
Church, St. James Church, the old Bonsecours 
Church, Notre Dame de Lourdes, Notre Dame 
de Anges, and Hotel Dieu. 

St. James Church (R.O.) 
is on St. Denis, just north of St. Catherine. It 
is one of the large churches, and has some fine 
paintings. 

Churches. 
I have written at length of the Catholic 
churches for the reason that they can be seen 
at any time. They are never closed, and visi- 
tors seem ever welcome. I often think of a 
Fifth Avenue, New York, church, on which 
stands out in large letters: "Come in and 
rest." A poor old lady, very weary, chanced to 
find the door open, took the words literally, 
went in, and — well, she didn't stay long, as it 
wasn't that church's " day of rest." She was 
sent on her weary way by the watchful sexton. 
I speak not lightly, but state a simple fact 
plainly. I speak it by right, for I speak of my 
own. 



106 



The Wandering Yankee. 



McGILL UNIVERSITY. 

Montreal has a just pride in the now famous 
University, whose founder, James McGill, 
builded better than he knew. Starting with 
his gift of 1120,000, it has grown up through 
the liundreds of thousands, until figures run 
into millions; its facult^^, from a few faithful 
teachers, to a staff of 140 able professors, at 
whose head we find one of the most prominent 




instructors on the American Continent — Prin- 
cipal Peterson — recognized and honored among 
all the colleges and universities of the w^orld 
as few men have been recognized and honored; 
and from thirteen students in 1829, to almost 
as many hundreds in 1902. Like the fortunes 
of many a man its early life was one continued 
struggle for bare existence, but whose later 



The Wandering Yankee. 107 

life is a success rarely attained by schools of 
learning. 

Its situation at the foot of the wooded slope 
of Mount Koyal, far surpasses in beauty that 
of any of our colleges and universities in the 
States. It is ideal in location, its buildings 
are well situated about the spacious grounds, 
and the interior arrangements of each admir- 
ably adapted for the purposes for which they 




are used. Space forbids a description of the 
Library, the Redpath Museum, Molson Hall, 
the Physics Building, Chemistry and Mining 
Building, the Engineering Building, and many 
others— gifts of the Molsons, Redpaths,*Work- 
nian. Lord Strathcona and others of Montreal's 
men of wealth and generous instincts. 

Woman has not been forgotten, but wise 
provision has been made for her in the beauti- 
ful 



108 The Wandering Yankee. 

ROYAL VICTORIA COLLEGE 

on Sherbrooke street, to the east of the main 
entrance to the University grounds. That 
nobleman among men, Lord Strathcona, built 
at a cost of |300,000, and endowed with 
11,000,000 more, this magnificent structure. 
It is a gift to woman, surpassed in beauty by 
few in America, a pride of the city and a last- 
ing honor to the man whose heart dictated the 
gift. When it was completed Lord Strathcona 
cast about throughout the world for instruc- 
tors whose ability was of the highest order. 
At its head he placed Miss Hilda Diana Oakley, 
a woman of rare accomplishments and wonder- 
ful executive ability, giving her, as able assist- 
ants, Miss Susan Cameron, in English Litera- 
ture, and Mile Milhau in charge of the 
languages, both of whom are aiding much to 
raise the Royal Victoria to a high place of 
excellence, while in music there are few to 
equal Miss Clara Lichtenstein, under whose 
instructions great promise is given the college. 
She has already sent to Paris a pupil who, 
under her sole instruction, has developed into 
a singer whose voice will yet rival a Patti. This 
is a prediction made after hearing the best 
voices up to a Patti's. I had the rare oppor- 
tunity of hearing this Montreal child, — she is 
not much more, — while she was yet unknown. 
She moved me then as the human voice had 
never before moved me. I do not know why, 
but I felt that I was listening to a genius that 
would one day move the musical world. I 
shall never forget the night, shortly before she 
started for Paris — in March, on which she 
made her debut in the College Hall. There 



The Wandering Yankee. 



109 



were gathered on that occasion the finest 
people of the city, people who would grace the 
salons of a musical Paris. None of ih(^ 
number knew^ for what they came, for no one 
of them had heard her sing, yet rumor had 
told them that her voice was good. All was 
expectancy, — ''What is she like?" "How will 
she be gowned?" ''How will she appear?" 
" Has she a voice, or is it but rumor?" and 




ROYAL YICTUPJA COLLEGE. 

many other questions were in the minds of the 
waiting audience. I knew, for I had heard her 
sing, and only waited for her innocent triumph. 
At last she came upon the stage. She came as 
a simple child, unconscious of her power; She 
wore no gown of Worth, but one of plain ma- 
terial made by her own hands, for she was 
poor. No jewels adorned her breast — naught 
but a simple rose. The audience was instantly 



110 The Wandering Yankee. 

won by her simplicity. Even before she had 
Sling a note they were her friends; but when 
she began, her clear sweet tones filled the hall 
with a volume of music that entered the very 
souls of her listeners. Proud ladies wept, 
men unused to being moved wiped from off 
their cheeks tears of very joy. She had won 
a triumph. A triumph she could not have 
even hoped for. At the close, titled ladies 
embraced her, for she had won herself a 




PAULINE LIGHTFOOT. 

title — Queen of Song. She came upon the 
stage that night, a poor, unknown girl. She 
left it the loved of every heart, and rich enough 
to carry her through years of study in the 
most expensive city of Europe — the gift of 
generous Montreal. I had hoped to be first 
to herald her to the world, but I am late, yet I 
ti'ust that what I say may live. 

Montreal, yea, all Canada, will be proud to 
claim her as a daughter, 

MISS rAULINE LIGHTFOOT. 



The Wandering Yankee. Ill 



TITLED MONTREAL. 

I don't know that the impression is a general 
one among those of a republic, but it was at 
least my own, that a title carried with it but 
little of worth, or rather that it was too often 
conferred upon men of little worth; but when 
I look over the names of Canadians upon whom 
titles have been conferred, and see the vast 
accomplishments of the men so honored, I am 
pleased to change my views, and to see the 
justice and wisdom of honoring these men of 
deeds. Especially is this true of those of 
the Province of Quebec — (and I doubt not I 
shall find the wisdom of choice general) 
whose lives 1 have read as I w^ould 
read a rare romance, for their lives read like a 
romance, and when I know that what I read is 
true, it is a real joy to tell my countrymen of 
these men — men who would stand high in any 
land, for they are men of worth — an honor to 
the titles they bear, honor that an emperor 
might envy. Would that my book were large 
enough to give but an outline of the volumes 
that might be written of these men, but it is 
not, and I must give but a bare outline of the 
outlines. 

More than sixty years ago a boy of seventeen 
left his home in England and came to Canada, 
then a trackless wilderness. He had no 
friends to welcome him, no one to cheer him in 
his loneliness. It was not to the comforts of 
a city he came, but to the barren coasts of La- 
brador, to the bleak trading post of Mingan. 
That bov was 




TITLED MONTREAL. 



The Wandering Yankee. 113 

Donald A. Smith, 
The boy whom all Canada to-day loves to 
honor as the great 

LORD STRATHCONA AND MOUNT 
ROYAL. 

He came to take a lowly position in a com- 
pany (The Hudson Bay) which he saw grow 
into a vast, far-reaching institution, with his 
own name at its head. There, in lonely Min- 
gan, his eyes w^ere threatened with blindness. 
To reach Montreal was his only hope; but to 
reach which, in the dead of winter, was an 
undertaking that a Napoleon might have fear- 
ed, but this boy showed then the indomitable 
will that has carried him through a long life 
of success. He came, was cured, and returned. 
The hardships of the long, weary journey back 
may be appreciated, when it is told that the 
two Indians who accompanied him, died on the 
way, utterly worn out from fatigue. 

A Busy Life. 
Lord Strathcona has done so much worthy of 
note that it is onl}^ here and there that I can 
touch upon his life. In 1870 he was elected the 
first member for Winnipeg in the Legislative 
Assembly of Manitoba. In 1871 he w^as elected 
to the Dominion Parliament, as member for 
Selkirk. In 1880, with his cousin, Lord Mount 
Stephen, and others, he undertook the gigantic 
work of constructing the Canadian Pacific Rail- 
way, a work, owing to the vast difficulties 
which attended it, must ever rank among the 
great enterprises of modern days. On Nov. 7, 
1885, he saw the last spike driven in the road 
that spanned a continent. 



114 The Waiidcriiig Yankee. 

Is Made a Knight. 
In 1886, for his many services, he was creat- 
ed a Knight Commander of the Order of St. 
Michael and St. George. In 1887 he was 
elected for West Montreal, which he repre- 
sented until appointed High Commissioner, in 
1896. He stood ver^^ high in Parliament owing 
to his rare judgment of conditions. 

Gifts. 

The known gifts of Lord Strathcona reach 
far into the millions, while the silent ones, 
known only to himself and the recipients, have 
cheered the hearts of many a humble brother 
man. He gives from the heart and not for 
fame — the onl^^ gift which in turn gives back 
to the heart a joy. In 1887 he gave a half 
million dollars toward the building of the 
Koyal Victoria Hospital — and has added much 
more to it since. He gave the beautiful Royal 
Victoria College, on Sherbrooke street, and 
endowed it with one million dollars. I might 
go on, but these two I give as instances of the 
man}. His gifts are gifts of wisdom rather 
than for that which pleases alone the sight. 
Some one is ever materially benefited by his 
generosity — and long after he has gone, new 
generations will come and go blessing the 
name of Lord Strathcona. 

His residence on Dorchester street has been 
described as a veritable palace, filled with rare 
and costly works of art of which he is a 
generous patron. It was at his home that the 
Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York (now 
Prince and Princess of Wales), were entertain- 
ed, while in the city last year (1901). 

His Montreal residence is but one of five seats 



The Wandering Yankee. 115 



— one in London, one in Scotland, and two 
others in Canada. 

He is noted for his hospitality, as well as 
for his generosity. 

His wife is the daughter of the late Richard 
Hardisty, of the Hudson Bay Company, and 
his only child, a daughter, is the wife of Dr. 
Howard, of Montreal. 

He was made a Peer by the Queen in 1897, a 
well deserved Diamond Jubilee honor. 

Is it any wonder that Lord Strathcona is 
called — not by Canada alone — 

"The First Citizen of the British Empire?" 

His patriotism is unbounded, and that 
patriotism is not of the kind that waves aloft 
his country's flag and lets others do the work. 
When the Mother Country needed the help of 
her children, her young Canadian sons quickly 
came to her rescue, and said: ''Here are we 
ready for duty!'' This noble citizen could not, 
by reason of 3'ears, go to the field; but he did 
what no other son offered to do. He fitted out 
complete 

The Strathcona Horse, 

and sent them to the front, an act of patriot- 
ism rarely found in history. 

To write of a man like Lord Strathcona is 
to write from the heart. I care nothing for 
titles unearned — the kings and emperors who 
inherit thrones are naught to me compared to 
one who builds alone a name. This the subject 
of my sketch has done, and in building it, he 
has made one whose luster will grow brighter 
with the years. His life has made happier the 
lives of others. Such names live on, for they 
live in the heart. 



116 The Wandering Yankee. 

LORD MOUNT STEPHEN 

Was born in 1829 at Dufftown, Banff, Scot- 
land, came to Canada in 1850, where he entered 
into business, realizing a fortune, in Montreal, 
in manufacturing textiles. Was appointed a 
Director of the Bank of Montreal, and from 
1876 to 1881 was President of that great insti- 
tution. He soon drifted into railway enter- 
prises, and with his cousin, Mr. Donald A. 
Smith, — now Lord Strathcona and Mount 
Royal — made possible the now gigantic Cana- 
dian Pacific Railway, of which he was the first 
President, in 1881, holding that position until 
1888, when he resigned. 

In 1885, in connection with Donald A. Smith, 
he founded the " Montreal Scholarship," in the 
London Royal College of Music — and in 1887 
the two men again united in donating |500,000 
each, to found the Royal Victoria Hospital. In 
1885 the Government of Canada presented Mr. 
Stephen with the Confederation Medal, and 
in 1886 he was created Baronet by the Queen, 
in recognition of his great service in connection 
with the Canadian Pacific Railway. He was 
raised to the Peerage in 1891, and chose as his 
title the lofty peak in the Rocky Mountains, 
which had been originally named in his honor. 
His seat in England is Brocket Hall, Herts, 
once the home of Lord Palmerston. 

SIR WILLIAM CORNELIUS VAN HORNE, 

K.C.M.G. 
Was born in Joliet, Illinois, in 1843. Like 
most really great men, he began at the bottom 
of the ladder, and has climbed up to the point 
where there are few if anv of the " rounds " 



The Wanderinor Yankee. 117 



'is 



left. Step by step he went up through all the 
branches of railroading — which life he early 
chose — going so fast that were I to record 
them all, this sketch would be one of rapid 
figures of advancement. In 1881 he became 
identified with the Canadian Pacific Railway, 
first as General Manager, then Vice-President 
(1884), and on the retirement of Lord Mount 
Stephen, in 1888, he became President of this 
vast system. In 1894 he was made a Knight 
Commander of St. Michael and St. George, as 
a Roj'al and Imperial recognition of his ser- 
vices. 

To Sir William Van Home Cuban develop- 
ment will owe much, as his railway enterprise 
in that rich island is changing a wilderness 
into a garden. 

While Sir William has led a busy life as boy 
and man, yet he has always kept in touch with 
the intellectual world. He is a lover and 
great patron of the arts .and sciences, being 
himself an artist and lover of the beautiful in 
picture. His home on Sherbrooke street is a 
palace — with galleries filled with some of the 
choicest paintings an-d statuary in the Do- 
minion. 

Sir William has been the subject of many 
a brilliant sketch, by many a brilliant writer. 
G. M. Adam says of him: "His name is a 
household word and an omen of success 
throughout Canada and throughout the 
world," and " One of the best liked men in the 
Dominion." "As manager he has few equals 
and no superiors." " Few men have enjoyed 
more implicitly the confidence of the business 
world." 



118 The Wandering Yankee. 

SIR THOMAS G. SHAUGHNESSY, 

Was born in Milwaukee, Wis., in 1853. His 
life reads like a romance. From poor boy to* 
man of vast possibilities has seemed but an 
Aladin stride — a dream of a night. His life 
and that of Sir William Van Home could be 
read as one — only a change of name, the life 
sketch would fit either. He came to the Cana- 
dian Pacific Railw^ay with Sir William, and 
to their master minds much is due for that 
road's position at the head of the world's vast 
railway systems. This road and its branches 
are fast permeating the Dominion, as the 
arteries of a giant's body. Sir Thomas, on the 
retirement of Sir William Van Home, became 
President of this railway system. 

During the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall 
and York's visit last year (1901), Mr. Shaugh- 
nessy was made a Knight, in recognition of 
what he has done, is doing, and will do toward 
the upbuilding of this vast Empire. 

G. M. Adam speaks of Sir Thomas thus aptly: 
" From the first day of his life as a railway' 
man there was no doubt in the minds of those 
who knew him that he would be a success. 
The (pialities of his mind are thoroughly 
modem, and fit exactly the service of this 
greatest branch of modern public service. 
Ardent and untiring, he has the ability to do 
much work, and his shrewd common sense and 
prodigious memory enable him to guide that 
work to the very best advantage." 

It may be a broad statement to say that, 
taking into account the vast obstacles with 
which these two men have had to contend, they 



The Wandering Yaiikee. 119 



'^> 



stand aloue as railway managers, but when we 
see what they have done and are doing the 
statement is but that of a fact. 

SIR WILLIAM HALES KINGSTON. 

When we look about us and see on every side 
the men who have no aim in life, save that of 
selfish purpose, it is a relief to find here and 
there one who stands out and above, so high 
that the whole world may but look and see. 
AVe often feel that none are great save those 
whose local fame has made them so to us. The 
subject of this sketch has no localit3\ He may 
reside quietly here in Montreal, but Montreal 
has no claim to him save that of residence. 
He belongs to the world, and all lands do him 
homage. He is known in Europe as though of 
London or Paris or Berlin. He stands along- 
side of the greatest surgeons of the world. I 
speak thus strongly, for many at a distance 
may read this sketch and think I speak of him 
as of local fame. 

Sir William H. Hingston is a Canadian, born 
in 1S29, at Hinchinbrook, in this (Quebec) 
Province. He graduated at McGill College in 
1851. In 1852 he received the diploma of the 
Royal College of Surgeons, .Edinburgh, and 
subsequently obtained diplomas in France, 
Austria, Prussia, and Bavaria. He was the 
first Canadian admitted to the membership of 
the Imperial Academj' of Vienna. So many 
have been the honors conferred upon him that 
it would lengthen this sketch beyond my space 
to barely touch upon them. He was Mayor of 
Montreal from 1875 to 1878, — and so wise a 
chief magistrate that he might have continued, 



120 The Wander ins: Yankee. 



but would not accept the renomination. It 
was during his administration that occurred 
the Guibord excitement, and but for his wis- 
dom great harm might have resulted. The late 
Lord Dufferin, then Governor-General of 
Canada, extended to him his thanks for his 
cool judgment on that occasion. He was 
Knighted by Her Majesty Queen Victoria, in 
1895, and was called to the Senate of Canada 
by the Earl of Aberdeen in 1896. 

His quiet acts of kindness have made him 
dearly beloved by the "poor, whose friend he 
has ever been — doing for them in their need, 
the same as though they had been able to pay 
with the millionnaire. He has ever been gov- 
erned by love of humanity and not by gold. 
He has long been surgeon to the Hotel Dieu, 
where his rare skill has given new life and ease 
to many a siWfering one. 

To read such lives of good, make& one feel 
more kindly toward the world. There are all 
too few Hingstons — the world would be better 
if there were more. 

SIR WILLIAM McTAGGART TAIT, 

Was born at Melbourne, P.Q., 1842. Was 
educated at St. Francis College, Richmond, 
and graduated B.C.L. at McGill University, in 
1862. He was called to the Bar in 1863, prac- 
tised first at Melbourne, and, in 1870, came to 
Montreal. 

He Avas created Q.C. by the Marquis of Lome 
in 1882, and for a number of years was trea- 
surer of the Montreal Bar. 

When a 3^oung man he took much interest in 
military affairs, taking a first-class certificate 



The Wandering Yankee^ 121 

in the Military School at Quebec. He served 
as a First Lieutenant and Captain in the 54th 
Battalion (Lord Aylmer's), during the Fenian 
troubles. He is a high Freemason. In 1877 
he ^as elected Grand Master of the Grand 
Lodge of Quebec, and re-elected in 1878. In 
188G he became a Fellow in Law in McGill 
University, and took the degree of D.C.L., in 
course, at that institution in 1891. During 
that 3'ear he received the same honorable 
degree at Bishop's College. He is a member of 
the Council of that University. He was 
appointed in 1894 to perform the duties of 
Chief Justice of his court in the District of 
Montreal. In 1897 he was honored, for his long 
and efficient service on the Bench and his great 
abilities at the Bar, by being made a Knight by 
Her Majesty Queen Victoria. On this occa- 
sion the Bar of Quebec, feeling the justice of 
the honor, presented him with an address of 
congratulation. Lady Tait was the daughter of 
the late Henry B. Kinghorn, of Newport, R.I. 

SIR ALEXANDER LACOSTE, 

was born at Boucherville, P.Q., in 1842, being 
the son of the late Hon. Louis Lacoste, J.P., 
Senator. The family came originally from 
Langudoc, France, He was educated at the 
College, St. Hyacinthe, and at Laval Uni- 
versity (LL.D., 1879), called to the Bar in 1863, 
and began the practice of law in Montreal. 

Many have been the honors conferred upon 
this great jurist. He attained an eminent 
position in all branches of his profession, was 
created a Q.C., by the Dominion Government, 
in 1876, and had the same honor conferred 



122 The Wandering Yankee, 

upon liim by the Marquis of Lome, in 1880. 
He was Batonnier of the Bar in 1878-80, be- 
came a Legislative Councillor, P.Q., in 1882, 
and was called to the Senate by the Marquis 
of Lansdowne, Jan., 1884. Appointed Speaker 
of the Senate, April 27, 1891. He held that 
office until September 14 of the same year, 
when he was elected to the Bench as Chief 
Justice of his native Province. His Lordship 
was sworn of the Privy Council, Oct. 13, 1892, 
and received the honor of Knighthood the same 
year. He was appointed administrator of the 
Government of Quebec in 1893, and again in 
1897, and received the honorable degree of 
D.C.L. from Bishop's College University, 
Lennoxville, in 1895. 

These are but a part of the honors carried by 
Sir Alexander Lacoste. In all his busy life he 
has ever had time to work against the vice of 
intemperance. He believes that there can be 
but one voice raised against the evil — a curse 
to every civilized nation. 

I have thus hurriedly sketched the lives of 
men whose deeds and prominence would war- 
rant a far more extended notice, but in a work 
of this nature, only a touch here and there can 
be made. The wives of these men stand de- 
servedly high, both socially and in good works. 
They have risen side by side with these men of 
title, and for the success attained, to them 
much is due. On every hand I hear naught 
but kind words said of their charity and con- 
sideration for those whose lot in life has been 
less happy than their own. 

There is a man who, while he is not of Mont- 
real, yet is so closely connected by reason of 



The Wandering Yankee. 123 

being at the head of the great Ekler Dempster 
and Company Steamship line, might well be 
mentioned among the titled. I refer to 

SIR A. L. JONES. K.C.M.G. 

who was Knighted by King Edward on the oc- 
casion of his (the King's) birthday, Nov. \), 




1901. lie has proven that, not only in Amer- 
ica, but in conservative England, can a man, 
by his own efforts, climb from the bottom to a 
jdace among the highest. He started a poor 
boy, and, to-day, stands at tlie head of one of 
the great steamship companies that ply the 
waters of the world, with its 

One Hundred and Twenty-Six Vessels. 

That company may well be said to be of 
Montreal, which, next to its Liverpool port, is 



124 The Wandering Yankee. 

its most important harbor. I have recently been 
surprised tliat in the many letters I have re- 
ceived from the school children of the States (I 
received one hundred and twenty-three from 
one town), on Canada, that but a single letter 
spoke of Montreal as a seaport. Why, bless 
you, my dear children, you left out one of the 
most important facts. One little girl among 
the number, however, said a true thing when 
she wrote : " Unless the Erie Canal is widened 
for sea-going vessels, Montreal will steal the 
ocean trade of New York City." As it is, a 
vast amount of grain is shipped from here, 
coming in as it does by the many railroads 
from the West and by the lake and river 
steamers. Not only in grain, but a large toar- 
ist business is done from here, especially by 
those who do not care for a long ocean voyage. 
One may leave New York in the morning, 
reach here in the evening, and go aboard one 
of the Elder Dempster and Company 's palatial 
steamers, and float for 800 miles down the St. 
Lawrence, rarely ever out of sight of land, 
thus making the voyage across to Europe far 
less tiresome. Then again many people come 
here, make a tour of the country, and start on 
this line from Quebec nearly 200 miles down 
the river. 

CANADIAN INDUSTRIES. 

Not only is Canada making vast strides in 
shipping and railroading, but in every branch 
of business — mining, manufacturing, wheat 
raising, horse, sheep and cattle raising, and in 
lumbering, the business is very great, especial- 
Iv in the 



The Wandering Yankee. 125 

Pulp and Paper Industry. 
The pulp and paper industry of Canada is 
growing enormously. Mills are being erected 
throughout the Provinces of Quebec and On- 
tario, wherever water power is sufficiently 
great to warrant it, and the vast number of 
falls found everywhere are being utilized, and 
the woods of the forest are melting away 
into pulp and its products. Possibly the 
largest of all plants are those of the Canada 
Paper Company. Their output is simply 
enormous, and with the recent additional 
capital, they are enlarging and extending 
their mills. I sought far and near for a 
paper that would suit my purpose for this 
book, and, finally, chose that which you are 
now looking at. This Company made it spe- 
cially for this edition. I know it's not the 
proper place to say this, that's why I put it 
here. It's such a pleasure to do things the 
opposite to what every one else would do. 

POOR STREETS. 

It is not my province to criticise, but the 
Colonel never gets through talking about the 
poor streets of Montreal. ^' Rube," says he, 
" for a city of the vast riches of Montreal, it is 
a wonder that it does not wake up and get 
out of the mud. Some day it will elect a Boss 
Sheppard as Mayor. A man who will not be 
afraid of public opinion; but will beautify 
Montreal, as Shepherd did Washington, 
even though they may run him out of town, 
as Washington did Shepherd. Yet, in after 
years, should he return, there will be 



126 The Wandering Yankee. 

nothing too good for him. There are 
few cities situated for beauty as Mont- 
real, and j^t few with streets so neglected. 
No matter how much natural beauty a town 
may have, it must be well paved, else the great 
beauty is lost. Why, Montreal is far behind 
some of its little suburbs. Even Ste. Cune- 
gonde is far better paved, while Westmount, 
under the wise rule of that ideal Mayor, W. D. 
Lighthall, is outstripping its great neighbor to 
the east. Yes, Kube, Montreal needs a Boss 
Shepherd, and it needs him very, very much." 
" How would a Mayor Parent do, Colonel?" 
"Ah, Rube, now you are saying things! If 
Montreal had such a Parent for a father you 
wouldn't know" the town inside of a few years, 
but then such Parents as he are seldom 
found at the head of the family."* 



*Note. — The Colonel said the above, before 
Mayor Cochrane had gotten started. Now he 
goes about town watching the work, and says: 
" Rube, I declare it comes the nearest sort 
looking as though Montreal has at last got a 
man who will pull her out of the mud. That 
man is doing things, not talking about it. If 
he is backed up by the city, you won't know 
the streets and sidewalks by the time he has 
finished his second — or third term at furthest. 
/ hardly know some of the streets 'already. 
Yes, Rube, Cochrane is all right, and I guess 
as Sam would say : ' Alder-men helping are 
all right too.' " 



The Wanderms: Yankee, 127 



Rainy Daisies 

Where one jots down so many notes in a city 
where there are so many notes to jot down, 
one is liable at times to forget why some of the 
notes w^ere jotted down at all. Now see this 
one. 

" Rainy Day." 

"• Rainy Daisies." 

'' Montreal." 

" Chicago." 

" Intelligence good." 

'' Understanding same." 

" Same Last " — Regular puzzle— who could 
ever unravel notes so intricate ! yet they must 
have meant something as they are right in 
among Montreal notes. It may all dawn upon 
me some time, so will leave them in for the 
dawning ^'Chicago" '^Montreal" — ''Same Last." 
Give it up ! 

The Colonel Makes a Discovery. 

" Rube," said the Colonel one evening after 
a walk about town, " I made a discovery to- 
day. I got into a part of Montreal we had 
not yet seen, and I found a street, four blocks 
long and it had the same name all the way.^^ The 
Colonel has promised to take me to see it. 
(The Montrealer will appreciate this and the 
tourist will find it out.) The Colonel alwa^^s 
brought in items of interest and things he had 
heard during the day, and if I were writing an- 
other sort of a book his items would fill it. 

Mail Boxes. 

" Colonel," said I, sealing a letter, " will you 
mail this as you go down town ?" 



128 



The Wandering Yankee. 



" Yes, but, by the way, where will I find the 
letter box ?" 

" Well, you go east four blocks, turn south 
three, turn east again, and, on the third corner, 
you will find it on that building with the red 
front." 

" All right. Rube, I never knew before where 
it was. 

The Drum Major. 

" Honora, dear, I hov a canundrum far ye." 
" What is it, Michael ?" 




" Why, air the Ryall Scots the f oinist— Here, 
now, shtop wunkin yere oies at the Dhrum 
Major — He can't say onything below the roof 
loine — I axes ye, why, the Ryall Scots air the 
foinist body ov Sojers in Montreal ?'' 

" I give it up, Michael, what's the answer ?" 
" I doan't know ayther, but oi've aften 
thought !" 



The Wandering Yankee. 129 

She W^anted to be on the Hanging Committee. 
" Colonel, did you ever tliiuk of the many 
things we hear only a part of as we go along ? 
Now, this afternoon as I came up St. Catherine 
past Phillips Square, I saw a large number of 
the finest looking ladies I've seen in Montreal. 
They were all talking about an exhibrt of some 
kind. The word ^ poster ' seemed more pro- 
minent than any other. One lady said ' Well, 
if the artist who sent it is ever found I, for 
one, want to be on the hanging committee — .' 
Another lady spoke up and said ' My husband 
says it was so true to life !" ' The cruel, cruel 
man to say such a thing.' I couldn't hear any 
more, but as far as I could see them they were 

still talking. I suppose about ' that 

l^oster.' I would so like to know what it was 
all about." 

UNITED STATES CUSTOMS. 

Uncle Sam's interest are well looked after 
up here, but I am at a loss to know how ever 
Ohio allowed herself to be left clear out in the 
make up. Just think, for a moment, of a great 
city like Montreal and not a single Ohio man 
on the list — not one ! I must see Uncle Mark 
about this ! What is the remarkable part of 
it all is that they get along so well without us, 
and, yet, when I come to think of it the " Ohio 
of the East " is in full charge, the Customs of- 
ficers, every one being from Vermont. And, 
again, as I come to think of it, it is not more 
than fair that since we furnish the Presidents 
our rival should be allowed the Customs — fair 
though not customary for us to allow anything 
where there is an office to fill. 



130 The Wandering Yankee. 

E. H. Twohey, who for thirty years has re- 
presented us in Montreal, is at the head of the 
Customs Department.- I can*t say that he is 
" well and -favorably known," even though of so 
long a residence — that is except to the better 
class of citizens, with whom he is a great favor- 
ite. The other class don't seem to like him at 
all, as they " don't have no chanct," for let one 
of them start toward New York with a bushel 
or two of diamonds, nine hundred to one he 
won't get more than across the line until he 
will change his destination and lose track of 
his diamonds. Mr. Twohey is ably assisted by 
M. B. Yaw (whom I should have put into " Mu- 
sical Montreal "), J. H. Maguire and W. C. 
Hefflon. 

U. S. IMMIGRATION COMMISSION. 

For a long while this part of our work 
could have been about as well done from 
Washington as from here. This assertion 
alone would carry no weight, but with figures 
behind it, it will draw down the scales very 
materially. This is not an examining port, 
that part is done at Quebec, where Colonel 
John Thomas is in charge, and as the Colonel 
is an Ohio man, I need not say it is well done. 

This is an inspection office. The duty is to 
see that no immigrant shall unlawfully cross 
the border — and by '^ unlawfully " I mean that 
every immigrant must have a certificate from 
the office at the port of entry. Many immi- 
grants come over, give their destination as 
Canada, in which event our officers have noth- 
ing to sa}^ — once in the country they attempt to 
cross at some point along the border, and it is 



The Wandering Yankee. 131 

the province of this office to prevent that. 
Now, go back to my first sentence — up to Sept. 
1, of last year, so little was done that it was 
hardly worth the expense of keeping men 
along the line. Thousands crossed over and 
so readily that it was not even exciting. I 
wouldn't say this if I did not have the figures 
warranting it. Up to the year ending June 30, 
1901, there were turned back 395 only. From 
Sept. 1, 1901, to June 30, 1902, ten months, 
there were stopped on the border and across, 
nearly 5,000, and of these, 39 were deported 
from U. S. ports, and 1,977 found not accept- 
able owing to disease, pauperism, old age, etc., 
etc. What does this mean ? It means that 
up to June 30, 1901, the service was so lax that 
there was only a semblance of barring out the 
undesirable, and that the halt, the maimed and 
the blind went across with impunity, and very 
little else, to begin life in a new country, to en- 
joy the privileges of our almshouses and blind 
asylums. But, great Scott ! when Robert 
Watchorn got up here and in charge, such a 
halt was called on the undesirable that they 
thought that something had dropped, and now 
to get over the line is so very difficult that 
even the smuggler with all his cunning, finds it 
so hard that many of them are stopping and 
going to work. Some didn't stop soon enough 
and are now at work in Auburn, Sing-Sing and 
other of our popular resorts. 

This shows what the right men in the right 
place can do, and if ever that man was found, 
his name is Watchorn, from Pennsylvania. 
His equal is not found in the whole Immigra- 
tion service. He has a force around him that 
knows only to do. No more holding office for 



132 The Wandering Yankee. 

'' revenue only !" This force is made up of 
H. M. Turner, of West Virginia; E. J. Wallace, 
Vermont; and Miss Mary Collins, of Washing- 
ton, D.C. Then, besides this board at Mont- 
real, there are Colonel H. M. Deal and Edw. 
Petit, at Port Huron; C. C. Williams, at Sault 
Ste. Marie; John H. Clark, at Buffalo, Joseph 
Francis, at Niagara Falls, and Col. C. S. 
Forbes, at St. Albans, Vermont. (The latter 
is the editor and proprietor of that deservedly 
popular magazine, " The Vermonter.") 

AVith this long line of vigilant members 
(with Robert Watchorn in charge of all) Ca- 
nada will have to look after the "undesirables" 
who have heretofore come to us, and already 
the Dominion is waking up to the fact, that, 
however much she may w^elcome the desirable 
of foreign lands, she must draw the line at the 
paupers and other non-producers, as they are a 
tax and a burden on any land. Ere long the 
Canadian ports will be as difficult of entry as 
our own, and the universal motto from Florida 
to Labrador will be '^ Welcome to the good and 
refusal to the ill." 

RUBE TAKES A RUN DOWN THROUGH 
THE STATES. 

" Colonel," said I one day in March, " I guess 
I'll take a run down home, and while there see 
what the school-children know of Canada." 
You see, " The Only Percy" had bantered me 
about the relative knowledge of the school- 
children of our two countries, " Why, Rube," 
said Percy, '^ our Canadian children know all 
about you, while yours know nothing about us. 
Even your teachers can't bound Canada," 



The Wandering Yankee. 133 

Perc}^ had lieard of that Teachers' Institute 
out in Iowa, where one of the " School-marms" 
when asked to bound Canada, said: "Canada 
is bounded on the north by the St. Lawrence 
River and Hudson's Bay, and on the south by 
the Great Lakes. It is 1,000 miles long and 
100 miles wide. It's principal city is Mont- 
real, a town of 50,000 inhabitants.* The 
people are French and wandering tribes of 
Indians. Their occupations are hunting, furs, 
and making snowshoes and moccasins, and 
selling lumber, which grows all over the coun- 
try. They spend their time in building ice- 
palaces and going tobogganing. The three 
men who figured most largely in Canada were 
Wolfe, Montcalm and Montgomery, but they 
are all dead now — and — and — I guess that's all 
I know about Canada." It is said that the 
superintendent of the county knew about as 
much as the " School-marm," and let her pass 
on that; but that was in Iowa. So, w^hen Percy 
offered to wager a dinner, I took him uj) and 
formulated fifty questions. 

Rube Examines Canadian Schools. 



The genial Principal of Peel Street School, 
in Montreal, kindly allowed me to ask his 
children fifty questions on, " What do you 
know about the United States?" It was worth 
a dozen dinners to see those children of Peel 
Street School march into the great assembly 
hall that morning — the boys from one side and 
the girls from the other. The leader of each 



Note.— It has nearly 350,000, and growing 
very fast. 



134 The Wandering Yankee. 

carrying the British flag, while the pianist, out 
of compliment, played our own 

Tramp, Tramp, Tramp, the Boys are Marching. 

It took me back to the long ago, when, as a 
little child, I watched our own larger boys 
march to that tune as they went aw^ay to the 
wars. These children answered my questions 
so fast, that I almost felt that Percy had been 
wagering on a certainty — which, you know, 
don't count. I was sure this Peel Street 
School was exceptionally well informed, and 
that no other could be found in Canada able 
to answer as it had. 

Rube Goes to Quebec. 

So, while in Quebec, attending " The Week of 
Sports," I asked Professor Young, Principal of 
the Boys' High School, if I might ask the ques- 
tions about the United States. Without a 
moment's hesitation, he took me to a large 
room, into which he soon had the ninety boys 
of the school congregated. Then I found that 
Montreal was not the exception. 

While I was sure that the Montreal children 
were right when, at the close of the examina- 
tion, they answered, to my question, " Will I 
lose the dinner?" " You will — you will!" yet I 
would give our ow^n schools a chance, and go 
down and visit them, especially as I am never 
happier than when I can see before me the 
bright faces of children upturned — ever eager 
to learn. It's an inspiration. While I trem- 
ble and quake at the sight of grown-up people, 
if I must speak to them, I am at ease with 
children, for I love them, and they know it, 
and help me to speak. 



The Wandering Yankee. 135 

" Yes, Colonel, I'm going down home, and 
while there will find out what the school-ehil- 
dren know of Canada." '^ What's the good?" 
asked the practical Colonel, " what will you 
gain by it ?" 

" Now, see here. Colonel — what's the good 
of doing anything — or, as the small boy put it: 
• What's the good of anything ? why naw- 
thin' !' It's only a little habit I have. I do 
things that please me, simply because it 
pleases me to do them. What do we get in 
life, anyhow! Some work for money, and for 
money only; others work for money that they 
may buy pleasures. Pleasure is the end for 
w^hich we strive, and no one gains that end 
sooner than he who gains it with no thought 
of the money. I love Canada and when I love 
a people, I want others to know that people, 
and in no way do I see how I can easier have 
Canada known, than to set the children of my 
owm country talking and studying about this 
beautiful north land." 

I little thought that my mission would be so 
successful. Instead of it being local to the 
points of my visit, the newspapers of America 
took it up, and when I was ready to return to 
Canada, not only the children, but their par- 
ents, were studying the map and the history 
of Canada, which to me was a far greater 
pleasure than had I gained money instead of 
spending it. Now, dear readers, if you care to 
hear of my tour, come sit 'round while I tell 
the Colonel about it. With all his practical 
turn, he seems anxious to hear about what T 
saw, heard and did in my wanderings. 



136 The Wandering Yankee. 

Rube Tells the Colonel all About It. 

'' Tell me first, Eube, liow did you find New 
York, DOW that Tammany is out and we are 
in?" 

" It looks, Colonel, as though we are having an 
up-hill time of it. Jerome promised so much 
before and is doing so little after, that Seth has 
his hands full in doing any of the ' reforming' 
he promised. They have so much theorj^ that 
they don't seem to have any time left for the 
practical. There's a limit to nearly every 
man's greatness — and I think Low reached his 
when Mayor of Brooklyn. When I asked the 
privilege of examining the New York school 
children, I saw the Mayor, because I thought 
lie, too, was interested in schools. He 
sent me to see Maxwell. Ah me, there's 
the great man for you ! The only 
trouble is that he knows it too well 
himself. He is at the head of all the 
schools — 'What?' Oh! — no — he sent a little 
girl out to ask, ' What do you want. Mister?' 
' Want to see the Superintendent.' Little 
girl goes into his highness's office — comes back 
and says. ' Mister Maxwell says what do you 
want?' Says I — 'I want to see Mister Max- 
well.' I kept the ' shuttle' going back and 
forth, then, stated my errand, and, for the only 
time on all my tour, was flatly refused — ' Can't 
allow my schools to do anything out of the 
ordinary,' was what the ' shuttle' finally 
brought out of the office of his highness. No, 
Colonel, I didn't get to see Mr. Maxwell the 
Great, but I did examine one of Mr. Maxwell's 
schools over his head, and was greatly pleased 
with the Principal, who allowed me to test his 



The Wandering Yankee. 137 

school. I was quite surprised at the ready 
answers the children gave to my questions. 
The Principal had been much in Canada, and 
seemed pleased to do all he could to have this 
country known. He and his corps of teachers 
were delightful people to meet.* 

" While the Principal had been in Canada, 
yet he could not be said to be ' up' on the great 
men of the Dominion, for when I asked, ' Who 
is Lord Strathcona?' and received the answer, 
^ He is Captain of the horse company that w^ent 
to South Africa,' he said the question was not 
a fair one — ^Why,' I replied, 'everybody should 
know the greatest man in Canada!' At which 
he said, ' If I were asked who is the greatest 
man in Canada, I'd say, Sir Donald A. Smith!' 
When he learned that both are the same ma^n, 
he had nothing further to say as to the fairness 
of the question. 

At Baltimore, 
I had no trouble to get to ask the questions — 
thanks to that rising young corporation 
lawyer, Irvin G. Herman. A word from him 
gained me entrance at once to Principal Elli- 
ott's school. The class I examined here was 
very bright and quick, and, withal, well 
informed. It was here that I came near 
winning the dinner, and I think would have 
won it had not Percy's fifty questions required 
extraordinary knowledge. Yes, Baltimore's 
was the best class of all the cities, and nearly 
as good as the Montclair, New Jersey, class — 
Ah, that is the school! but of it further on. 

At Washington, 
General H. V. Boynton, the President of the 
School Board, was most kind. I did not have 



See Addenda, " Prize Winners." 



138 The Wandering Yankee. 

to see ///;// bj means of a ^ Shuttle.' Oli, no. He 
sent me to Superintendent Stuart, who gave 
me the famous Franklin School after which so 
many school buildings had been modelled. By 
this time so much notoriety had been given the 
tour by the newspapers, that I had many visi- 
tors in attendance that afternoon. The oppor- 
tunity was such a favorable one that I devoted 
much time in talking to those visitors, through 
the children, telling them of the delights of 
Canada. One of the boys in the class made a 
guess at nearly every question, and hit so many 
of them that one of the visitors tried to hire 
him to go to the races to guess ' winners,' but 
the boy wittily replied: ' Fni not up on that 
sort of book learning.' 
'' When I reached 

Philadelphia, 
I went direct to the Tress,' where I was very 
cordially received by the most genial City 
Editor on the tour. 

'^ ' Hello, Rube, is that you ? Why, I've been 
looking for you for two days. Heard you were 
coming. Now, what do you want to do?' 

" ^ I want you to get me into the best school in 
Phila.' You see, I used to live in that town, 
and wanted that it should make a good show- 
ing. Well, he called up the Superintendent, 
who is said to be a fine man. He sent me to 
the — No, I won't tell you the name of the 
school, as I used to live right near it. ' Local 
pride' — See? The Principal's manner would 
have made vinegar seem sw^eet when I told him 
my mission. He did not ^ approve of it,' 
' wanted a note from Dr. B.' ' Call up Dr. B.,' 
said I, when he doubted my word. — He did so, 



The Wandering Yankee. 139 

and theu said, iiiikiiidly: 'Well, come on I' 
The class conld guess but twenty of the fifty 
questions, one of which was, ' Where does the 
Montreal parallel pass in Europe?' A boy 
risked a guess, 'Norway and Sweden,' I 
turned to the Principal and asked: 'Is that 
correct?' ' I think it is,' said he, ' Well, as it 
is about 800 miles too far north, I don't think 
it is correct.' By this time he had reached 212 
degrees, and said: 'We don't teach those 
things here!' 

" ' What, pray, do you teach ?' Then he took 
me down into the large hallway, and, waving 
his hand along the w^all at a number of framed 
drawings, said, ' There— that's what we teach!' 
I looked at a drawing on which were a bird,- a 
plant, and a cow, and asked, 'Why did the 
artist (?) put that plant in the picture?' 'And 
why not?' he queried. ' Why,' said I, pointing, 
'this cow might eat the plant!' ' Oh, oh, that's 
not the cow, that's the bird !' I would have 
made good my error, but he w^ould none of it. 
I had reached the limit, and had to beat a 
retreat.— 

Country vs. City School System. 
'I could not but note the difference between 
the school systems that prevail in the city and 
those that are followed in the country and 
small cities and towns. In the cities the 
children are used as so many pawns. They are 
set and moved as though inanimate wood. 
They are taught as a class— as a whole. The 
individual is swallowed up and identity is lost; 
while in the country, each child is a living, 
moving, thinking being, worthy of individual 
attention. There was scarcely a city school 
in all my tour where a pupil would rise in his 



140 



The Wandering Yankee. 



or her seat and answer a question in an easy, 
self-confident manner — while, on the other 
hand, there was not a school in the towns and 
smaller cities but where I found the children 
could get right up, and not only explain a ques- 
tion, but often go into the details of it — and 
that, too, with no seeming fear of the machine 
teaching system of our great cities. Take, for 
illustration, the beautiful little city of 

Montclair 

nestling at the foot of and along the 
eastern slope of the Orange Mountains, in New 
Jersey, some fourteen miles west of New 




EANDALL SPAULDING. 



York city. Here I found possibly the best 
school system of all the places I visited. It 
is under the superintendance of Mr. Randall 
Spaulding, who for years has had charge of the 



The Wandering Yankee, 



141 



schools. He selects his teachers from the best 
Normals of all the East — no politician can 
select for him an incompetent teacher simply 
because that teacher is some poor relative or 
favored friend, nor does Mr. Spaulding choose 
his helpers direct from the Normals, they must 
have taught for two or more years before he 
will engage them. He maintains fhat it is 
not always the bright graduate that makes the 




lU 



m 



•^r-' 




HIGH SCHOOL, MONTCLAIR. 

successful instructor. The teacher must have 
tact as well as knowledge — must not only 
know, but be able to impart knowledge — must 
gain the confidence and the love of the pupils, 
then the best results are attained. 

" The day I stood before a Montclair class to 
ask the 50 questions, I saw in front of me, none 
but mere children. I said to Miss Eldridge, 
the Assistant Superintendent, 'My dear lady — 
it is not a fair test — these children are much 



142 



The JVaudcriug Yankee. 



Yoimf^er than any class I have yet examined. 
Miss Eldridge simply smiled, and said m 
i)leasant contidence, ' Well, try them, and see 
what they know.' I did try them, and young 
as they were, their answers surprised me. My 
set questions seemed easy for them— all save 
those in history and facts which they had not 
yet studied. I asked questions not on my list 
^I picked out an island so small and so dis- 




WINTER SCENE IX BEUGEN CUUXT\ 



tant that I was sure they had never heard of 
it and clothed the question with all the ob- 
scurity I could," '' What is Mauritius— n moun- 
tain,— a city, a people, a river or a country? 
^' An island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mada- 
o-ascar," quickly came the answ^er,— Why, some 
of them even 'knew of that beautiful book, 
a^aul and Viroinia,'— by St. Pierre— who 



The Wandering Yankee. 



143 



located his story on Mauritius. AVhen I asked 
' What is the highest mountain peali in the 
world V Kodger Birdseye, 12 years old, not 
only answered, ' Mount Everest, in the Hima- 
layas,' but promptly gave me Waugh's exact 
measurement of it— ' 29,002 feet!' With the 
exception of a boy by the name of Ches- 
ter C. Jersey, of Bergen County, N. J., 
Koger was the brightest pupil I saw on 
my tour, but then Jersey was four- 
teen, and a wonder when it came to i^ot 
only knowing things, but in being able to tell 
them in a way that would do credit to a polish- 
ed public speaker. I expect to hear of him 
hiter on, as he means to go into either the 
Army or Navy, where he is bound to make his 
mark. 

''The High School building of Montclair, a 
picture of which I here give, is the best arrang- 
ed of all the schools I visited. 

" Withal I was delighted with what I saw in 
the schools of Montclair. For that matter, I was 
charmed by the little city itself. I could not 
but compare its beautifully paved streets, well 
kept lawns, magnificent cottages, etc., with 
many a large city, whose Fathers were so busy 
looking after their own pockets that the poor 
innocent inhabitants had to plod through the 
miul from year to year, content ber-ause they 
had been so long used to it, and hadn't snap 
enough to change things."* 

" But I have been too long on my school 
tour, 'What were the questions I asked ?' Oh, 
yes, I meant to tell you, but here they are, 
read them over for yourself while I rest, for 
I'm tired talking." 




CHESTER C. JERSEY 



See Addenda, " Prize Winners." 



144 The Wandering Yankee. 

The Colonel Talks on Geography. 
That afternoon the Colonel got me cornered, 
again, and wanted to know what else I did 
besides talk to the children about Canada. He 
first tried to cheer me up for losing the dinner 
to Percy. " No wonder, Eube, you lost, when 
the geography makers have so neglected 
Canada, that the Canadians themselves could 
not prove by the geography half of the things 
of interest in their own country. Take, for 
instance, the Lake St. John country. Why, 
you can't find anything about that great lake 
save a little spot on the map, looking scarcely 
large enough for a name, and yet it is nearly 
five hundred square miles in extent, and has 
great rivers running into it, which, if extended 
end to end, would reach over a third of the way 
across the continent. It's a w^onder to me that 
Parliament don't take up this subject, and get 
out a map worthy of these places of real in- 
terest. But, we'll not talk about hat now.* I 
saw by the newspapers that you called to see 
Roosevelt. Tell me about him. How did you 
like him, Rube?" 

Rube Visits the President. 
'^ Well, you see, it was this way. I said to 
Senator Proctor: ^Senator,' said I, 'I'd like to 
meet a real live President. I met one once, 
but he wasn't a real live one. He was a good 
duck hunter, but a poor president — and I've 
never been proud of meeting him — I met him 
on a long string, and I guess he has forgotten 
about it, as there were so many others on the 
string that day at the White House — that I 
just had time to say, 'Hello, how are things!' 



* See Addenda on " Geography, 



The Wandering Yanl^ee. 145 

as the fellow behind pushed me along— pushed 
me along before we had time to get real well 
acquainted. Yes, I guess he has forgotten me, 
and I won't worry about the meeting. This 
time I want to meet a real live one, and I don't 
want to meet him on a string, either.' ' Rube,' 
said the Senator, ' I'll introduce you to one of 
the livest Presidents we will possibly have in 
the twentieth century,' and on Monday morn- 
ing he took me to see Roosevelt." 

" Were you pleased with him?" 

''' Pleased with him!' Why, Colonel, I've 
laid out to be a very old man, but I never hope 
to meet another who will please me more than 
Teddy, if I live to see 'em all. W^hy the minute 
I saw him I said to myself, ' Rube, here's your 
ideal President that you wrote about in My 
Friend Bill— here he is, and you needn't look 
any further,' and I won't! Why, Colonel, he 
couldn't have been more agreeable to meet 
had he been one of us. He was real sociable, 
and made a whole roomful wait while he stood 
and let me taik to him, without flinching." 

"Brave man!" interrupted the Colonel, but 
I paid no attention and went on. 

" Yes, I tell you. Colonel, Roosevelt's all 
right, even if a lot of our own politicians are 
not giving him the support they should." 

'' AVhy, Rube, do you mean to say our own 
statesmen are not giving him their support?" 

"No, I didn't say anything of the kind— I 
said, ^ some of our own PoUtieians are not 
giving him their support.' There's a very wide 
difference between a politician and a states- 
man — ^one lives and fights for a policy, and 
then dies, and is soon forgotten, the other 



146 



The Wandering Yankee. 




mmtni. 



TJic Wandering Yankee. 



W 



liolits for a principle and gets himself into 
history and his descendants are proud to trace 
themselves back to him— and the longer he is 
dead the prouder they get. I know what those 
politicians have in mind— but that ' What,' will 
never be anything more than a visitor in the 
White House, even though he is from Ohio. 

Rube Galls on the Mayor. 

'' How did you like the new Mayor, Rube?" 

'^ Oh, very much indeed — until I met him 
but then he has his hands so full just now that 
he should be pardoned for not making the 
passing stranger like him. I tell you. Colonel, 
things are all mixed up down there. Nobody 
knows just where he stands except 'Dick' 
broker, and he only found out after the acci 
dent. Nixon thought he knew, but gave it up 
nnd went back to ship-building. 

" I stopped at 

Albany 
on my way up — I found much to see in the 
capital. It is a very fine city. 

'' I never knew before that the Government 
arsenal town of 

Watervliet 
was a suburb of Albany, only a short: distance 
out on the trolley line between the Capital and 
Troy. I stopped off to see. 

The Largest Gun in the World, 
which for five years has been under construc- 
tion at this immense gun factory. It is now 
almost completed. F. E. Hinchey gave me 
nmny points of interest about this giant. It is 
49 feet and 2 inches long, over 5 feet through 




148 



The Wandering Yankee. 




at the breach, 16-inches bore — weighs 130 tons, 
— and, with 1,200 lbs of powder, it is expected 
it will throw a 2,000 lbs. shot twenty-one miles. 
Here is a miniature picture of a beautiful 
lady — an officer's wife — taken in the gun. She 
looks out as though in contented comfort.- 

" There, now. Colonel, I'm tired talking, 
besides this is not a book of travel and notes 
on, ' Them as I have met on the run,' — no, and 
I am going to stop short off about that tour — 
pay for the dinner, and beg of the teachers of 
my country just one thing 
poor 

country and make him lose a dinner just be- 
cause you hadn't taught your children about 
that country. Now please get to work and 
teach - Canada — it is a country worthy your 
attention, as you will see when you come up 
here on vour next vacation." 



lone brother Yankee off into a foreign 



QUESTIONS ON UNITED STATES. 

Here are the questions asked. I give them 
for the teachers of both countries. 

What is the area of the United States? 

What is the area including Alaska? 

How is the United States divided? 

How many States are there? 

How many territories? 

Which is the largest State? 

Which is the smallest State? 

What is the largest river in the United 
States? 

What are four of its principal tributaries? 

Where does the Pennsylvania R.R. begin? 

What do you know of the A. T. & S. F. R.R.? 

Where is New Orleans? 



The Wander in g Yankee. 149 

On which side of the river? 
How is the river kept in bounds? 
How is the channel below New Orleans kept 
clear? 

What river separates Texas from Mexico? 
Where is the District of Columbia? 
What is the form of government of the 
United States? 

What is the name given the head of the gov- 
ernment ? 

How is the President elected? 
What is the representative body called? 
How are the representative members elected? 
How are the Senators elected? 
What is the state government? 
What are the two branches of state govern- 
ment? 

How are thev elected? 

What do you know of the Mexican war, and 
when was it? 

What great war was fought since the Mexi- 
can war? 

Name the three great generals in the North. 
Name three of the great generals of the 
South. 
What President freed the negroes? 
Where was he from, and what became of 
him? 

Who is President now? 
Was he elected President? 
Where is New York City? 
Who was the first President of the United 
States? 

Of whom did we buy Alaska? 

What did we pay for it? 

What great river runs through Alaska? 



150 TJic JVmidcriiisi Yankee. 



On what degree of parallel is New York 
City ? 

Where does that parallel pass in Europe? 

What river separates Indiana from Illinois 
in part? 

Which is the larger State, New^ York or 
Pennsylvania ? 

How far is it from New York City to the 
Western Coast of Australia? ('^8,000 miles 
straight through," from a little fellow in the 
centre aisle.) 

How are the States divided? 

How are the counties sub-divided? 

Which is the larger, the Gulf of Mexico or 
Ohio? 

Where are the Allegheny Mountains? 

What is the population of Baltimore ? 

When was Americk discovered? 

QUESTIONS ON CANADA. 

What is the area of the Dominion of 
(-'an a da? 

What is the area including Newfoundland? 

How is Canada divided? 

How many provinces are there? 

How many territo«ies? 

^Allat is the largest river in Canada? 

Name four of its principal tributaries. 

Which is the largest province? 

Which is the smallest? 

Where does the Canadian Pacific Railway 
begin and end ? 

What do you know of the Q. & L. St. John 
K^R.? 

Where is Montreal? 



The Wander in g Yankee. Vol 

How do ocean going vessels get from Mont- 
real to the sea? 

During how long is the Kiver Ht. Lawrence 
open for navigation? 

What is the route from Montreal to Chicago 
by water? 

What river, tributary to the St. Lawrence, is 
famous for its scenery? 

AVhere is the seat of Federal Government? 

AVhat is the form of government in Canada? 

Vshixt is the name given to the head of the 
government? 

How is he chosen? 

What are the upper and lower houses called? 

How are the members of the House of Com- 
mons elected? 

How do men become Senators? 

What do you know of the Provincial Govern- 
ment ? 

What are the names of the two parties in 
Canadian politics? 

Which party is in power noAv? 
What extraordinary power has the Governor- 
General of Canada over the House of Com- 
mons, that the President of the United States 
has not got over Congress? 

What do you know of the Rebellion of 
1837-8 ? 

Who owned Canada before the British ? 

AA'hat British General fell at Quebec? 

What American General? 

What French ? 

Which of the past statesmen of Canada was 
the greatest? 

What change in the government of Canada 
was effected during his term of office? 



152 



The Wandering Yankee. 



Who is the Governor-General now? 

Where is Victoria? 

Who was the first Governor-Geneial of 
Canada since Confederation? 

Which is nearer Europe, Canada oi tne 
United States? 

Which is nearer Asia? . , ^ , .v^...^i 

What great river empties into Lake ^A mni- 

^^Sn what degree of latitude is Montreal? 
Where does the latitude pass m Europe? 
What rivers run through British Columbia 

and Washington? Ti,„„,« 

Which is the larger Province, New Biuns- 

wick or Nova Scotia? 

How far is it from Montreal to the west 
coast of Australia? 

How are the Provinces divided* 
How are the Counties subdivided? 
Which is the larger, Lake Superior or the 
Province of Manitoba? 
Where are the Laurentian Mountains? 
Who is Lord Strathcona? 
When was Canada taken from the French? 

KUBE ATTENDS A SCHOOL CLOSING. 

Shortly after my return from the school 
tour, I attended the closing of one of the 
public schools in Montreal. I -"^/f'^f ^^'J 
with the singing of the children. I had not 
heard such accuracy during my tour as 1 
heard that day. The children sang in ex el- 
lent time and what I noted more particulailys 
they threw a spirit into the songs that would 
have done credit to a trained chorus. The 



The Wandering Yankee. 153 

singing was under the charge of Miss Alice 
lioss, whose method is a credit to tlie music of 
Montreal. 

As this book will be seen by many of the 
School Principals of the States, I will say 
that a most excellent method prevails here, in 
the way of rewarding children for their work. 
Very wisely, presents are not given, but, in- 
stead merit cards, showing the degree of profi- 
ciency among the various grades. 

It was a pleasing sight to see the children 
march past on their way to receive their re- 
ward. One little fellow, whose name I forgot 
to get, was made an exception of, not only by 
It is particular school, but by the City School 
Board. He was given a metal medal and an 
American ten-dollar gold piece. I mentally 
hurrahed for the " Eagle," when I saw the 
purpose to which it w^as put. I forget what 
the little fellow had done, but it was some- 
thing remarkable. When the distribution of 
rewards was over speeches were made, inter- 
spersed with song. I had a great desire to 
speak and tell the children how pleased 1 
was, not only with the creditable closing ex- 
ercises, but with the schools of the city gener- 
ally, and how they compared with those I had 
visited in the States. There wasn't time for 
all and I didn't speak. At one point particu- 
larly I would like to have replied to a man, 
whose accent was a foreign one, which was 
pleasing, not the accent, but the fact of its be- 
ing foreign, as I felt that he had not always 
lived in Montreal, where facts are first proven 
then given. He sneeringly referred to the 



154 The Wandering Yankee. 

" Land of the free, to the south of us/' and 
told those dear children how that the colored 
children were not treated w^ell. I would like 
to have told them that in many of the schools 
I visited, the colored pupils were not only 
well treated but that they were often among 
the bright ones of the class. This he can 
verify and if seeking honest information, he 
would have done so before giving children 
misinformation. 

Among the speakers was Dr. McVicker, 
whose oratory somehow called to mind our 
own great Wendell Phillips. The Doctor be- 
lieves with the old Greek : instil in the boy 
what you would have the man do. If a score 
of years ago the orators had visited the 
schools on closing day, and told the children 
that '' the Montreal sidewalks are very bad," 
those children would now be voting to have 
them repaired. The Colonel exclaimed on the 
way home the other night, '' Oh, for more 
orators !" 

" What's the matter, Colonel ?" 

" Oh, I've gone through," and I had to go 
back and help him out. 

Again I would like to have had the privi- 
lege of a few minutes talk. The children sang 

Ben Bolt. 
It brought to mind my dear old friend. Dr. 
English, who passed away during my visit 
house in April. I would have enjoyed telling 
them of him. It would have made the song 
seem more interesting than it is, to know of 
the man who wrote it, fifty-nine years ago. 
Dr. English was a remarkable character. A 



The Wandering Yankee. 155 

physician, member of Congress, a prose 
writer, a poet, and yet witli all he had 
done in life he would have past out and, in a 
few years been forgotten, were it not for this 
sweet old song, whose very name I used to 
fear to mention in his presence, so much did 
he dislike to hear it spoken of. He used to 
say : " Why should my fame hang on that one 
song ! I've done work of merit. It has none, 
and yet lives while the others I did long years 
ago, when I wrote Ben Bolt, have died and 
passed out of mind." '' Doctor," I told him 
one day, " Ben Bolt lives, not for its merit, 
but its sweet heart touches. Sentiment of a 
thousand years ago is sentiment to-day. 
Home Sweet Home would have died with the 
writer if merit alone lived." 

I asked him one day how its popularity 
started, and if he had set the words to the 
music. "No, it came about in this way. Some 
traveling players needed a song for a certain 
part. One of the actors, remembering my 
words — which at first were used as a recita- 
tion — he set them to music, whether his own 
composition or not, I do not remember. He 
did not remember the exact words in all the 
verses and changed some of them, but not 
many." The Doctor showed me the true 
words of the few changed lines and they were 
even more beautiful than those now sung. 

Dr. English was contemporary with Edgar 
Allen Poe, William Cullen Bryant, Longfel- 
low, Whittier, Holmes, all of whom he 
knew well. Also contemporary with the 
poet William Boss Wallace, author (this 



156 The Wandering Yankee. 

is not generally known) of ^' The hand 
that rocks the cradle moves the world." 
To sit and hear him talk of those old poets 
seemed to be listening to a message from an- 
other sphere. He too is gone — the last of the 
old coterie of American poets. 

Again, I should like to have told the boys 
who failed to win a merit, that it is not al- 
ways those who head the class in school who 
win the prizes held out by the business 
world. There was a boy in a school who 
could not work the problems in Lebody's Phy- 
sics. He failed four consecutive years, and 
yet, within the past month, that boy 
has worked out problems in physics 
which Lebody himself had failed to solve — 
the foot of the class now able to teach the 
great teacher. It was work and a whole lot 
of it boys — work, not talent alone that 
counts. 

Yes, I would have been pleased to have had 
just five minutes. While it might not have 
been entertaining, it would not have been 
stereotyped — a variety too often doled out at 
school closings. The boys won't listen, they've 
heard it too often before. 

" ISN'T IT AWFUL COLD UP THERE ?" 

came near being a joke during my run among 
the cities. Nearly everybody seemed to have 
the impression that Canada is cold — had it 
myself before I spent a delightful winter in 
Montreal — and to be real " sociable," all felt 
that they must speak of the weather, as 
though it were inseparably and permanently 



TJic IVajidcriJig Yankee. 157 

annexed to Canada. I finally got tired of the 
subject, and recalled an ancient joke of the 
Prince of Wales' 1860 visit to Montreal. 
'' Yes, yes," I'd say, sober like, " Canada is very 
cold — lip towards the pole — why, bless you, my 
dear sir, I've seen ice in the streets in June — 
ice several inches thick." ''What — in June? 
Why, do tell !" ''^ Yes, as late as the middle of 
June, all along the streets of Montreal! but, 
then ,it's possibly a good thing, they have to 
have it so in that country." " Why, how is 
that! Why do you say they have to have it 
so?" And as I'd get far enough away I'd tell 
'em: " Have to have it to cool off the air!" 

I don't mind how much our grown-up people 
think it's cold up here. This generation will 
have to die off before the " Ice Palace" microbe 
gets out of the minds of the grown-up portion 
of it — but, dear — oh, dear, how it worries me 
to have the innocent children growing up with 
" Cold Canada" in their little heads. Only a 
few days since, in one of the letters I am con- 
tinually receiving from the children, who are 
competing for a prize I offered on the " Best 
letter on Canada"* the little girl wrote among 
her many innocent errors : " Life in Canada is 
a most enjoyable existence. The little boys 
and girls of old Quebec go out to Dominion 
Square, f of a summer evening, and watch the 
Ice Palace, which is illuminated! The thou- 
sand shades of coloring thrown off by the 
crystal blocks of ice is a grand sight." If that 
dear child would only come up here and sit 
'round a while she would find that nothing 



* Note. — Dominion Square is in Montreal, 
t Note. — See Addenda, "Prize Winners." 



158 



The Wandering Yankee. 



1 



short of an ice palace could bring down the 
thermometer below 90 in the shade. If I ever 
take another tour, dear American reader, don't 
say '' cold" to me once, else I must set you 
dow^n as — misinformed, for Canada at its 
worst is delightful. 




>^' * 



The Wandering Yankee. 159 



1[30to U %u /nbcntrcal. 

Usually when tourists go to tTie expense of 
travelling and paving hotel bills, tho}^ want to 
see everything worth seeing, but how many are 
there who travel who know hozv to see. They 
get into a cit}-, go to a hotel and next morning 
start out to walk, having formulated a definite 
plan, which they lose before they have turned 
two corners, then they drift, and the minute a 
tourist begins to drift, he is losing time and 
money. He goes out at random, and, in many 
cases thinks that because he is walking, he is 
doing the town or city economically, forgetting 
that economy is the judicious expenditure of 
money. 

Now, I'm not going to tell you to drive, for 
my own gain, as I'm not in the cab or carriage 
line, but for your own good I cannot too 
strongly urge you to visit a city properly, and 
there is no proper way but to be driven about 
as the driver acts not only as driver but guide 
as well. 

For the better guidance I have had maps 
made, the one to show you the city and island, 
with the rivers, and the other showing the 
main part of the city with the points of inter- 
est numbered. 

I start at the Windsor Hotel because it is 
not only centrally located for depots, churches, 
etc., and in the best part of the city, but be- 
cause it is like one of our own, and one can feel 
at home while seeing the city. Now, w^ithout 



IGO 



TJic Wandering Yankee. 





^^ 








fe' -^^ 


^^ 


k'M 




, •-- „ 




Kb Ailj^^^^l 






The IVaiidcriiii: Yankee. 



161 



preliminary, just follow the Colonel and nie. 
The tour of the streets is exactly as we made 
it, and, by following it, you will see Montreal 
to the best advantage. 

We started fromthe Windsor at ten o'clock. 
Now follow right along and I'll tell you all 
about it. And ''all about it" makes one of the 
most interesting day's outing I've had in Mont- 
real. No one will believe that this historic city 




DOMINION SQUARE. 



has so much worth seeing, until one has gotten 
into the carriage of a driver who knows the 
town as our Sam knows it. 

We had hardly started when Sam stopped at 
the corner of Dorchester and Peel streets, and 
began pointing out places in sight. " There, 
in front of us, to the east, is 



162 The Wandering Yankee. 

Dominion Square, 

One time an old cemetery, now converted into 
a beautiful park. To the right 3^ou see the 
monument (?) of Sir John Macdonald — just 
opposite is the Lion drinking fountain, by G.W. 
Hill, sculptor, after A. Bartholdi.* To the 
left of Dorchester, on the corner of Metcalf 
Street, is the Y. M. C. A. building, and opposite 
is the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St. James, 
sometimes miscalled St. Peter's, because of its 
having been modelled after the church at Rome. 

" There on the corner just opposite to where 
we are sitting is the Dominion Square Method- 
ist Church, Rev. C. E. Manning, pastor. Now 
we pass on down. To the right, on the next 
corner, is St. George's Anglican Church, with 
its beautiful chime of bells, the gift of Mr. 
A. F. Gault. 

Across the street is the magnificent station 
of the Canadian Pacific Railroad, called 

The Windsor Station, 

built in the castellated style. On the corner 
where Windsor street runs into St. James, 
(once Bona Venture street), is the Queen's 
Hotel, a popular stopping place for tourists 
and commercial men. Just across St. James 
is the Grand Trunk station, known as 

Bonaventure Station, 

from which the Delaware & Hudson railroad 
to New York, and all points South, starts." 

" Hold on a minute, Sam, you have talked so 
fast I didn't get to ask vou about those two 



*Note. — The inscriptions on the four sides 
are worth a careful study. 



The Wandering Yankee. 161 



'& 



cannon in Dominion Square, near Sir Jolin's 
monument. Have they any history?" 

'' History is it, why, those are the cannons 
that were took at tlie siege of Sebastopol in 
the Crimea, presented by the Imperial Govern- 
ment to the city of Montreal." 
• "Do they ever go off, Sam?" 

"' No, but they came near it wance, whin 
Ottawa, seeing that the city wouldn't take any 
care of thim, offered to take thim aff and put 
'em in respictable shape."* 

From Bonaventure Station we pass through 
to Notre Dame street, which widens at this 
point and is known as 

Chaboillez Square. 
Passing from thence down Inspector street to 
old College street, now St. Paul, we pass St. 
Edward's Church at the left, then comes 

The Haymarket, 
once a part of the enclosed garden of the 
College, small poftions of which may still be 
seen here and there as parts of the new struc- 
tures. On this street are several very ancient 
houses, typical of the French regime. One of 
the earliest, if not the very first, theatre of 
Montreal, is still standing, at No. 573, corner of 
St. Henry street. It is now used as stores. 
From thence we pass on to McGill street, run- 
ning toward the river. To the right are the 
new and very beautiful offices of the 



*Xote.— These guns, within the past few 
days, have been put in a shape that even 
Ottawa would say was " respictable." 



164 



The Wandering Yankee. 



Grand Trunk 
railroad. In front of this great building is the 
Square forming the site of the 

Old Parliament Building, 
destroyed b}^ fire in the riot of 184G. 
At the foot of McGill we drove into 

Commissioners Street, 
which forms the river front. A little west of 
this, begins at the canal, the new Harbor Com- 
mission improvements, a stone dj^ke and 
wharves. Passing along Co7nmissioner street 
we see to the left the immense pile of buildings 



3 Jurd-in. au Serru. 7 ^nc . C/m.i'^Ce 




-Z>eM.o-ntreQ.1 



First Map of Montreal. 



known as the examining (Customs) warehouse, 
alongside of which is the handsome building- 
occupied by the Harbor Commissioners, w^ho 
are doing great work for the city and harbor. 
And a little further on is the small building 
containing the offices of the great Allan Steam- 



The Wandering: Yankee. 165 



ship Line, that runs to all parts of the world. 

Continuing along Commissioner to Pointe a 
Callieres, we come to the 

New Custom House, 

a long triangular building. This is said to 
have been the place where 

Maisonneuve Landed, 
in 1042 — and held his first religious service on 
the island. 

From the Custom House, looking west, just 
after turning around its front from Commis- 
sioner street, you see a long place widening out 
to McGill street. This square, so-called, be- 
cause it is not square, but long and narrow, has 
recently- been named 

Place D'Youville, 
In honor of Madame D'Youville, of historic 
memory. Around this spot cluster more of the 
old than any other in Montreal. On many of 
the buildings are placed tablets commemorat- 
ing the early events. Beginning at the new 
Custom House, at Pointe a Callieres, on Place 
Royal, or Custom House Square, by which two 
names it is varyingly known, you see on the 
east front of the Custom House two tablets, 
one telling you that Champlain, in 1611, select- 
ed this site and named it "La Place Royal." 
The second tablet reads : " Near this spot, on 
the 18th day of May, 1642, landed the founders 
of ^Montreal, commanded by Maisonneuve." 

Going west along Place D'Youville to Port 
street, on the oflQce building of the great firm 
of the Ogilvies— is this tablet: ''Site of the 
Chateau of Louis Hector de Callieres, Governor 
of Montreal, 1684— of New France, 1698 to 



n 




1G6 The Wandering Yankee. 

1703. He terminated the 14 years' Iroquois 
war b}' treaty at Montreal, 1701." In front of 
where 3 ou see this tablet only a few yards 
away, in the centre of the square, is seen a 
pointed stone shaft, with copper tablets on its 
four sides, giving the names of the first colonists 
and many other things of interest. It was 
erected by the Historical Society of Montreal. 

Going back to the Custom House, you see 
just across the way, (north towards St. Paul 
street), the old Montreal Hotel, the once great 
resort for Southerners, before and during the 
war of the Rebellion. It is now occupied be- 
low by offices, while in the upper part is the 
Sailors' Institute. 

The old Custom House still stands to the 
right, but is now occupied as the Revenue 
Offices. Back of this building, off St. Paul 
street, north, is the site of 

The Original Maisonneuve House. 
On this historic spot now stand the immense 
warehouses of the hardware firm of Frothing- 
ham and Workman. Proceeding eastward a 
number of old, and some very fine new ware- 
houses may be noted, until we come to 

Jacques Cartier Square. 

This square was formerly known 
as Nelson Place, and on which 
stands a round pillar monument, 
with a statue on the top, of the 
great sea fighter. It is remarked that he 
stands with his back to the water, an element 
toward which he in life ever faced. The four 
tablets on the pedestal are well worthy of 



The Wandering Yankee, 



167 




JACQUES CARTIER SQUARE OX MARKET MORXIXG 




MARKET BOATS, BONSECOURS MARKET. 



168 



The JVaiidcriiig Yankee. 



inspection. The monument faces Notre Dame 
street. Following on the river front we pass 
the huge 

Bonsecours Market Building-. 

The western part was formerly occupied by 
the municipal offices, the eastern end, second 




BONSECOURS CHURCH. 

floor, was used for balls and public concerts, 
and also for a while as a public drill hall, but 
is now used as a market for produce. Just 
east of the market, stands the ancient 



The IVandcrino: Yankee. 169 



Bonsecours Church 
which was begun in 1658, finished in 1675, 
burned in 1754, rebuilt 1771 to '73— remodelled 
out of sight in 1894 and '95— until none of the 
old is to be seen— even the original stones have 
been plastered over. The first street east is 

Friponne 
one block long, leading up to St. Paul street, 
Here is seen the old 

Friponne House 
used by Intendant Bigot. The name means 
" Cheating House," and was given it from the 
fact that Bigot and his followers were the 
most notorious band of cheats who ever came 
from old France. Sam says, " 'Tis a shame he 
died so soon, for what a Boodler he would have 
made to be sure, and no wan would have said 
a word agin him, as in this age he'd have been 
respictable." 

Just beyond we come to the end of the great 
river dyke, and also at this point ends Commis- 
sioner street. Here we see the yards of the 

Canadian Pacific 
with its two immense grain elevators, behind 
which stood the old military barracks, with its 
large, quaint gateway. This barracks was 
originally a nunnery. Between this and Craig 
street was Dalhousie Square, now occupied 
and known as 

Place Viger Station 
and hotel— the ground having been removed 
to a depth of twenty feet, out to the river. 
This excavation having cut through Notre 



170 The Wandering Yankee. 

Dame street, it is now crossed by u loug- iron 
bridge. 

Going np a short ramp, from Commissioner 
to St. Paul street, we turn west into the latter, 
where many very ancient houses are to be seen. 
To the right through occasional archways from 
Nos. 45 to 59, are to be seen parts of the origi- 
nal city wall. The only remaining bastion in 
anj'thing like perfect shape is found in the 
rear of Nos. 53-55, and from here to Bonsecours 
street occasional pieces of the wall are to be 
seen, mostly built upon.* 

At the east corner of St. Paul and Bonse- 
cours streets, we find a very odd-looking old 
house, built in the days when the top floor was 
used as a storage, with the proprietor's living 
on the lower floors — or flats — as the floors are 
called here. This house has a tablet on its 
west wall, on which is: '' Pierre du Calve t, 1775- 
1791. Goverenment Representatif." Showing 
that it was once an important house. 

On this same street (Bonsecours), on the left 
hand side, before reaching Notre Dame, is 
another tablet, which tells that the present 
Bonsecours Hotel was once the residence of 
six generations of the Papineau family. 
When I asked if the great Joseph l*ai)ineau 
was of this family, the proprietor, like too 
many of those of whom you inquire, simply 



*Note. — The only piece of the old wall re- 
maining, of the westerly line, is to be found 
in the rear of AValker's hardware store, on St. 
James street, dividing his ^ard from that of 
the well-known book store of Grafton & Son, 
from whose ofiice it can be seen. 



The Wandering Yankee. 171 

sliruj;s his shoulders, throws up his hauds, 
and savs : " Dunno, I wasn't here." 

Directl}^ at the foot of Bonsecours street is 
seen Bonsecours Church, which runs through 
to Commissioner. Continuing along St. Paul a 
few stores, we pass the site of the old Trinity 
Church, used by the Imperial troops while in 
Montreal, as a place of worship.* The only 
thing of particular note between this site and 
Jacques Cartier Square is the old Rasco Hotel, 
once a prominent hostelry. It is now occupied 
as stores and cheap boarding-houses. 

We i!ow cross Jacques Cartier S!|uare to 

St. Amable Streer, 

a typical street of the early days, as the dingy 
old iron shuttered buildings and the cobble- 
stone pavement will testify. We go on this 
street to St. Vincent, where a large number of 
very old houses are to be seen. I noticed here 
in about two blocks, no less than seven water 
catchers, just at the curb line. '' Why," asked 
I of Sam, " did they put so many ' catchers' on 
s;) short a street, so steep that the water would 
not take the time to run into them?" Sam 
looked at me, and seemed to feel real sorry, as 
he said, ^' I'm afraid. Rube, jq are no poly- 
tishun — wh3^, man, the contractor who put 
them in got |30 apiece!" I couldn't see what 
that had to do with it; but I didn't say any- 
thing, and we drove over to Vaudreuil street 
by a narrow lane known as St. Therese. 

Turning towards St. Paul, we came upon a 



*Note. — The new^ or present Trinity is on 
the corner of St. Denis street and Viger Square. 



172 



The Wandering Yankee. 



long, dingy block of stone buildings, to the 
right, the centre one of which (No. 8) is the 
store house where John Jacob Astor laid the 
foundation of his vast millions. 

We reach St. Paul, turn to the right and go 
to St. Jean Baptiste, by which we reached 
Notre Dame street. On the left hand side 
going up is a long block of stone buildings be- 
longing to the Nuns. On the right is seen the 




VICTOUIA SQUAi;i%. 

old Lacroix house, at Nos. 23 to 27, built in 
1680, notable for its immense fire-places, and 
ornamented mantle-pieces, also for the strange- 
ly constructed archway leading into the court- 
yard. 

Passing up St. Jean Baptiste to the corner 
of Notre Dame and St. Lambert streets, we see 
on a tablet : '' Here stood the house of Cadi- 
lac, the Founder of Detroit." 



The Wandering Yankee. 173 

Next to the old Cadilat site stood Christ 
Church, which was burned down many years 
ago.* Opposite the site of the Cadilac house 
we enter a gateway. On the right hand side, 
after entering, is the site of the chapel of Notre 
Dame des Victoires, which was erected to cele- 
brate the destruction of Sir Hovenden 
Walker's fleet, in the Lower St. Lawrence, on 
its way to attack Quebec, in 1711. There is 
seen in the enclosure a church which is con- 
nected with the nunnery and schools spoken 
of as on St. Jean Baptiste street. We return to 
Notre Dame and go west to St. Sulpice street, 
where, to the right, opposite the great Notre 
Dame Church, is seen Place d'Armes. This 
square is of particular historic interest, as here 
was enacted much worthy of lengthy reading. 
It was here that the small French garrison was 
attacked by the Iroquois, whom they repulsed, 
their chief being killed in a hand-to-hand fight 
by Maisonneuve himself, near where now 
stands the monument and statue of this noted 
man. 

The original parish church stood at this 
corner in front of where the present great 



*;^To|(^ _Xiie new building of the church can 
be seen on the corner of Union Avenue and St. 
Catherine street, across the avenue from Mor- 
gan's great department store, covering a block. 
The architecture of Christ Church, now a 
cathedral, is said to be the finest specimen of 
the Gothic in America. Just east of the 
church near the Union Avenue entrance is a 
beautiful monument to the memory of Bishop 
Fulford. 



174 TJic Wandering Yankee. 

church now stands. It stood in the street.* 
Proceeding down St. Sulpice, we pass the site 
of the first Methodist Church, in the rear of 
Notre Dame Church (No. 32 St. Sulpice). On 
the opposite side of the street may be seen a 
large number of stone buildings, occupying 
the site of the Hotel Dieu, removed to 
Fletcher's Field. These stores were occupied 
for a time by the Imperial troops as a barracks. 
Thence to St. Paul, and west to St. Francois 
Xavier street. This is the Wall Street of 
Montreal, occupied by stock brokers — tele- 
graph and insurance offices, etc. At the 
corner of this street and Notre Dame we find 
the immense block of buildings known as the 
Seminary of St. Sulpice, immediately joining 
the great Parish church of Notre Dame, so 
often mentioned. A large portion of the 
ancient and original buildings, with the old 
clock and its curious chime of bells, are of inter- 
est. A part of the ancient walls and gateway 
still exist, and a couple of loop-holes in the old 
wall may be seen. In the rear of this pile of 
buildings is a large and magnificent garden, 
which can be seen from the tower of the 
church. Going west on Notre Dame towards 
McGill we look down St. John, and see the new 
Board of Trade building, now in course of con- 
struction, the former, on the same site, having 
been destroyed by fire, with many other places 
of business, in 1901. The building now in 
course of erection will be thoroughly fireproof. 
At the corner of St. Peter street, just oppo- 



*Note. — See elsewhere the detnils of Place 
de Armes. 



TJic IVandcring Yankee. 175 

site S. Carsley's department store, stands 
the house occupied by many notables 
of the long ago. On the front you see the 
tablet, " La Maison Fourretier, le General 
Montgomery et ses officiers y logerent durant 
I'hiver de 1775," which Sam says means that 
Montgomery and his officers lodged here during 
the winter of 1775. It was from here that 
Montgomery went to Quebec, where, on the 
last day of '75, he fell. This house was 
also the home of Montreal's first Mayor. The 
place is now occupied by a Bridgeport Yankee, 
with a French name, — Nelson L. Bonueau. He 
is a Grand Army man. Out of four brothers 
three were killed during the Southern rebel- 
lion. A sad contribution from a single family. 

Further along, at the corner of St. Helen 
street, was the site of the Recollets Church 
and monastery. The front or facade of this 
church formed the front of the old parish 
church. Here is seen a tablet: ''Here stood, 
until 186G, the Church and Monastery -of the 
Recollets Fathers — erected in 1692; in which 
also worshipped the Anglicans, from 17G4 to 
1789, and the Presbyterians from 1791 to 1792." 
The Shedden Forwarding Company now oc- 
cupy it. 

One short block down St. Helen to Recollets 
street, on the building of James Johnson and 
Company, is another tablet: '^ Site of the First 
Presbyterian Church, seceded from St. Gab- 
riel's, 1831, under Rev. Edw. Black, D.D. 
Edifice abandoned in 1868." This church, St. 
Paul's, is now on Dorchester and St. Monique 
street. On the diagonal corner, on the building 
of Gault Brothers and Company is still another 
church tablet, which reads : " Here stood the 



176 The Wandering Yankee. 

First Baptist Chapel of Montreal, 1831, Rev. 
John Gilmour, Pastor. Abandoned, 1860.'^ 
This Church is now on St. Catherine, corner of 
City Councillors street. On this same building 
a brass tablet reads : 

'' This commemorates the organization of 
the site of the first Young Men's Christian 
Association on the American Continent, Nov. 
25, 1851. Erected on the occasion of the 
Jubilee Celebration, June 8, 1901." This will 
be of interest to the Association, whose build- 
ings now are numbered by the thousand, all 
over the continent. 

We go back to Notre Dame, and within 
twenty-five feet of where we turn west toward 
McGill street, we pass where was once 

The Recollet Gate. 
The old wall immediately in the rear of 1821 
and 1823 Notre Dame street, which, by the 
way, is the only bit remaining of the west line, 
and mentioned at another place, shows that it 
would have crossed at this point. The second 
wall and gate was about at McGill, as 
claimed by other writers. Through this 
gate General Amherst passed,* from which 



*Note. — " Here stood the old Recollets Gate, 
through which General Amherst passed on 
September 8th, 1760, when he took posses- 
sion. It was also through this gate that Gen- 
eral Hull, on September 20th, 1812, with a few 
officers and men entered." That is what is 
seen on a tablet at this point. I never knew 
before why Hull " quit " without a fight, but I 
see now. He wanted to come to Montreal. I 
don't blame him ! , 



The Wander in g Yankee. 177 

we turn east again into great St. James 
street, one of the most prominent streets of 
Montreal — many banks and insurance offices, 
postoffice, etc. At No. 260, just to the right, 
after turning into this street, is the 

United States Consul's Oflace, 

and but a short distance down is a street nam- 
ed for a man who certainly deserved a wide and 
long avenue, instead of an alley a rod wide, and 
a very short block long. It makes one feel like 
scolding, to see some magnificent avenue 
named for a character whose deeds are, to say 
no more, mythical, while a man who saved the 
embryo of a nation is shunted off upon an alley 
way in the very city for which he gave up his 
life. This is, to say the least, a shame. The 
Colonel had an extra word in front of that 
" Shame," when he was speaking of that alley. 
1 told him at the time " them's my sentiments." 
The Colonel does most of my emphatic word- 
ing. He seems to enjoy it, and it saves me the 
wear and tear on conscience. But then I 
haven't told you the name of the street. I'm 
going to do my part and give it a heading all 
to itself, in homage to that brave martyr, 

Dollard. 

Thanks to the Numismatic and Antiquarian 
Society, a tablet tells the deeds of this grand 
youth. It is on the building just on the west 
side of the alley. It reads: 

'' Dollard des Ormeaux, who, with 16 colo- 
nists, 4 Algonquins and 1 Huron, sacrificed 
their lives at the foot of the Long Sault of the 
Ottawa, May, 1660, and saved the Colony." 



ITS 



The JWindcrino; Yankee. 



— And an alley is named for him! — I must stop 
or I won't need the Colonel's help on emphatic 
wording ! 

On the left hand side of St. James, across the 
way from Victoria Square, stood the American 




PLACE I) AUMES SgUAUE. 

Presbyterian Church, now removed to Dorches- 
ter and Drummond streets. 

Victoria Square, 
with its fine monument of the Queen, for whom 
it was named, and its pretty walks, arc worthy 
of more than a passing note. 

The Temple building, at No. 185, stands on 
the site of the third INIethodist Church, the 
second standing where now is St. Lawrence 
TIall, — a hotel, — oj)posite which, across St. 
Francois Xavier Street, is the post- 
office. Don't fail to walk up a few 



The ]Vandcri}i(: Yankee. 



179 



steps, into the portico of this building and 
see those allegorical tablets on the arclie.-^ above, 
by the celebrated English sculptor, Flaxman. 
They were formerly on the old bank of Mont- 
real, which stood on this ground. These beau- 
tiful tablets were wantonly and most ignor- 
antly painted over by some one who w^ould 
have painted the tombstone of his grandma, 
thinking to add beauty to the stone. They 




BANK OF MONTKEAL. 



represent Agriculture, Navigation, Commerce 
and Manufacture. Before reaching St. Law- 
rence Hall, and on the same side of the street, 
is the fine stone edifice of the Montreal Star. 
Hugh Graham not only knows how to success- 
fully conduct a great newspaper, but he knows 
architecture as well, as can be seen by both 
the Star building and his magnificent residence 
on Sherbrooke street, especially so the latter, 
which is one of the most correct in style in 



ISO TJic Wandering Yankee 



Montreal. The immense building to the rear 
of the Post-office, is the home of the Gazette, 
the only English morning journal in the city. 
Immediately opposite the post-office, at No. 128, 
is the office of the Richelieu and Ontario 
Navigation Company. Next to the Post-office 
3^ou see only a part of the great Bank of Mont- 
real, a far larger portion of this vast treasure 
house being the new addition now building on 
Craig street at the rear. 

The Bank of Montreal is the second, if not 
the first, greatest bank on the Continent. It 




FIRST TEX NY. 

is by far the largest banking building. The 
main portion, on St. James street, is 120 feet 
front, the new building immediately in the 
rear, is 180 feet, fronting on Craig street. 
This new portion is being erected by the great 
American firm of Norcross Brothers and 
Company, of Worcester, Mass. Through the 
kindness of Mr. R. W. McLachlan, I give here 
the first penny issued by this bank. It is also 
the first penny struck for Lower Canada. 
To the right we see again Place D'Armes, 



The Wandering Yankee. 181 

around wliich are clustered so many of Mont- 
real's great otTk-e buildings. Beyond the square 
we pass the tine buildings of the French news- 
papers, Le Journal, La Patrie, and lastly, the 
beautiful home of La Presse. This brings us 
to the eastern end of St. James street, at the 

Court House, 

near which is seen old St. Gabriel, the first 
Protestant church in Montreal. The new 
church is on St. Catherine, opposite to where 
City Councillor begins. 

There are many other buildings of note on 
St. James, such as the Merchants Bank, the 
Mechanics' Institute, with its fine library, 
worthy a visit. There, too, on the right hand 
side, almost opposite to St. Lawrence Hall, is 
the ancient building of the Bank of British 
North America, w^hich has stood for more than 
a half-century, as solid in construction as the 
institution itself. Just beyond, on the nearer 
corner of St. Francois Xavier street, is w^here 
w^as located the former post-office, and, one 
block further on, is now beginning a great 
office building, the home of the Liverpool, Lon- 
don and Globe Insurance Company. 

Digress here just a few minutes. Go back to 
St. Peter and down one block to Craig street 
and take in 

A Little Bit of Craig 

Start from the " Witness " newspaper office, 
(corner of St. Peter and Craig), and drive 
east. As we pass the " Herald," one of 
^lontreal's leading papers, whose large 
building faces St. Frangois-Xavier street, 
the Colonel asks : '^ Kube, did you see 



182 The Wandering Yankee. 

what the ^ Sieve ' said about you while 
you were down home?" "Oh, yes, Colonel I saw 
it, and remarked at the time that it came 
within an ace of being real humorous, which 
reminds me that the ^ Funny Man ' of the 
Montreal papers has a higher notion of humor 
than many of our own writers. Whether he 
uses scissors or his own grey matter, the pro- 
duct is rarely silly, but clean cut, and to the 
point. Vide ' The Passing Hour ' or ' The 
' Sieve.' " 

We see again the '' Gazette •' block to the 
right across from the '' Herald," and by its 
side the great white addition of the Montreal 
Bank, under construction. At the corner of 
Craig and Elizabeth, is the Eglise Evang^- 
lique Church, Rev. L. Massicotte, pastor. To 
the right are the Court House and City Hall 
with Champ de Mars parade ground, in front 
or rather in rear of them as the^^ face, as be- 
fore stated, on Xotre-Dame street. Opposite 
on the left hand side is a great drill hall, cov- 
ering, an entire block.* It's called " Saile 
d'Exercice " — "Salle" meaning hall. At the 
corner of St. Denis and Craig streets, we see 
a statue with the simple word : 

Chenier. 

I cannot but stop a sentence to tell you of 
Phillips' driver who, when they came to this 
statue stopped, and said : " This is Chineer's 
statue — Chineer was a doctor and was kilt in 
the last Riseriction." 

" You moan Insurrection," said Phillips. 



*Note.— This will hold 15,U0() people. 



The IVaudcriiii]' Vcmkcc. 183 



'' Naw, I hav it — It was the last Rebillioiu 
Yis, lie was kilt by some wan bv the name ov 
I'appinaw^He was a good doctor but a poor 
runner !" 

The statue was erected in honor of Dr. Che- 
nier, who, with 110 insurgents were slain, on 
Dec. 11, 1837, at St. Eustache. It's too long 
a story or I'd tell you about, how, 200 or 250 
of the insurgents of the 1837-38 Papineau Re- 
bellion had barricaded themselves in the Con- 
vent and parsonage against the troops, sent 
to take them, and how the church having 
caught fire many of them lost their lives in 
trying to escape, and among them Dr. Che- 
nicr. Yes, it's too long a storv — read of that 
Rebellion yourself, but don't get the impres- 
sion that because I begin it with a capital R 
that it was w^orthy of it. No, it was so in- 
significant that — well it wasn't of as much 
importance as many a cit}' riot and yet the re- 
sults of it changed the whole i:>olitical history 
of Canada. It was not till then that Eng- 
land found that Canada had just cause of 
complaint against the politicians Avho had 
been running atiairs unjustly toward a cer- 
tain portion of the people. When once she 
saw the situation, matters were righted. I'm 
beginning to find that the Old Mother Coun- 
try is prett}' good to the children, and they 
all love her, — but I must stop talking statues 
and politics. 

Passing around from St. James, at the west 
end of the Court House, we again find our- 
selves on Notre Dame street, where we see the 
Court House and City Hall to the left, and the 
Chateau de Ramezay to the right. To the 



184 



The Wandering Yankee. 



north end, in the rear of the Court House, is 
the 

Cliamp de Mars. 

This open square, bounded on the west by 
St. Gabriel street; north b}^ Craig, and east by 
Gosford street, is used as a military parade 
ground. Originally the ground was low and 
in part swampy; but earth was carted from the 




COURT HOUSE. 



old Citadel Hill, afterwards called Dalhousie 
Square, and raised to its present condition. 
This ground has been the site of many interest- 
ing events. 

From the City Hall We passed eastward on 
Notre Dame. To the left we see Notre Dame 
Hospital, which was formerly the Donegana 



The Wandering Yankee. 



181 



Hotel, a favorite resort for American travel- 
lers. The adjoining buildings were occupied 
as officers' mess. This locality was then the 
the chief promenade for the citizens. It was 
in this vicinity that the great night fire of 1852 
occurred. I say " night," for on the morning 
of the same day occurred the fire that nearly 




CITY HALL. 



destroyed the whole of St. Lawrence suburb. 
To the left, facing on Craig street, one block 
north, you see the magnificent depot and hotel 
of the Canadian Pacific, 



Place Viger. 

Immediately opposite which is one of tlie prcl- 
tiest i)ark-like squares in the city. 
Continuing on to 



186 The VVandcrins: Yankee. 



Papineau Square, 

finding little of interest save the immense 
buildings of the Montreal Rubber factory, we 
turned north to St. Catherine. On this street 
we found nothing of note until we reached St. 
Denis, in which vicinity, — St. Denis and St. 
Catherine, we found many lioints of interest, 
most of which will be found in detail in their 
proper places. Here are the Laval University 
buildings, the Notre Dame de Lourdes, and 
St. James churches (R.C.), the latter is said to 
have the tallest spire in America. The tourist 
should not miss this corner. From here we go 
up to St. Lawrence Main, passing on the way 
the 

Theatre Francais. 

Turning up St. Lawrence Main, (which street, 
by the way, was once the dividing line of the 
city, one side being called east, the other west. 
The east largely occupied by the French and 
the west by the English-speaking people. This 
was more pronounced in times past than at 
present.) We go out to Ontario, thence to 
Amherst, up Amherst to Sherbrooke. Here 
we had a good view of 

Lafontaine Park, 
formerly known as Logan's farm. In the Im- 
perial days this farm was used as the camping 
ground for the troops. The reviews in those 
days were mostly held on this farm. 
It is very large and has the making of a fine 
park. Already a number of lakes have been 
formed, and more are in progress. It lacks 
shade; but trees have been planted, and in 
time this will be overcome. There is a fine 



The Wanderi)ig Yankee. 187 

wide driveway surrounding it. At the nortli 
side is situated the Civic Conservatory, where 
flowers and plant are propagated for supplying 
the other parks of the city. 

Situated on the Sherbrooke side of the Park 
is the 

Polytechnic Schools. 
This is a large and fine-looking building — and 
said to be one of the best-appointed school 
edifices in the Province. 

From here (Sherbrooke and Amherst ) we 
went up Amherst a short block, to Cherrier 
street, wide and beautiful — with many pretty 
residences, thence to St. Denis, where is seen 
the large 

Deaf and Dumb Asylum, 
surmounted by a beautiful dome. Crossing St. 
Denis street we come to 

St. Louis Park, 
a small, but one of the prettiest parks in the 
city, having a lake with fountains, and is well 
shaded. On the south side is to be seen the 
residence of Joseph Israel Tarte, a well-known 
man in the Dominion, being Minister of Public 
Works. There are many other fine residences 
in this locality. Looking through the Park a 
good view of Mount Royal is to be had, also 
toward the north is seen the great tower of St. 
Francis Church, in the distance. 

From the Park, by w^ay of Laval Avenue, we 
reach Sherbrooke street, at which point is seen 
to the left the beautiful 

Club St. Denis, 
formerly the residence of Fortier, the noted 
ciiiar manufacturer. On the south side of 



188 The Wandering Yankee. 

Sherbrooke, opposite the club liouse, is the 
magnificent pile of buildings of the 

Mount St. Louis College. 

This is a boys' school. The pupils wear a 
military uniform and are well drilled in all the 
tactics of the field soldier. They have a fine 
band and on parades they are most conspicu- 
ous for their martial bearing. On the same 
side of Sherbrooke street we come to the 

Monastery de Bon Pasteur, 
for boys and girls. 

On the corner of St. Lawrence Main is the 
fine old residence, with grounds, of John 
Molson, Esq., opposite to which is the 
Sherbrooke Street Methodist Church. Fur- 
ther along on the north side is the 
former residence of Mr. William Not- 
man, the celebrated photographer. It is 
now occupied as St. Margaret's Home. 
Then, on the corner of St. Urbain, is the fine 
residence of the Bagg family. At No. 595 is 
the residence of ex-Ma^^or Wilson-Smith, said 
to have been one of the best chief magistrates 
Montreal has ever had. At 630 is the Piatt 
house, now occupied by Mr. A. Skaife. This 
is a very old house, and one of the best speci- 
mens of the early suburban residences of the 
city. Immediately opposite, at G31, is the resi- 
dence of Kouer Eoy, K.C., City Attorney. At 
the corner, where Bleury street ends and Park 
Avenue begins, at 679, is the old Lunn house, 
Uiuch modernized, and now the residence of 
J. B. Sparrow, that live theatrical manager, 
who has charge of most of the English-speak- 
ing theatres in town. No. 712 is the residence 



TJic Wandering Yankee. 189 



'^> 



of the well-known Alderman, J. B. Clearilnie. 
We next come to the 

The Royal Viotoiia College for Women,, 
mentioned elsewhere. Just beyond, and on 
the same side come the spacious grounds and 
buildings of 

McGill University, 

also mentioned at length in another part of 
this book. See colleges. 

Just opposite to McGill, at No. 820, formerly 
resided one of the most agreeable gentlemen 
I have met in Canada. I refer to F. D. Monk, 
K.C., D.C.L., M.P., the leader of the Conserva- 
tive party in the Province of Quebec. Shortly 
after I came to Montreal there was given a 
dinner to this gentleman. I could not but note 
the tone of all the speeches, and wondered at 
the time if Montreal had. a citizen worthy of 
the pretty things said of him, but w^hen I came 
to know the man, I felt that had I the power of 
expression, I could have excelled even the most 
florid speech of that dinner. It is a real plea- 
sure to know such a man in a city where a 
stranger can appreciate a friend. 

At Xo. 826 resides one of the most prominent 
l)hysicians in Montreal, James Perrigo. 

Xo. 844 is the ^McGill Y. M. C. A. building. 

X^o. 846, residence of Hon. James O'Brien, 
Senator. 

Xo. 858 is the home of J. B. Tressidder, of 
the Montreal Star. 

At X^o. 878 resides Jesse Joseph, the Belgian 
Consul. Immediately opposite is one of the 
finest residences in Montreal. A brown stone 
palace, the residence of the Hon. Geo. A. Drum- 



190 The Wandering Yankee. 

mond. This is on the easterly corner of 
Metcalfe street. On the opposite corner is 
the residence of Hon. Sir Wm. H. Kingston, 

M:D,* 

The site of the old 

Indian Village at Hochelag-a, 

lies along Sherbrooke street at this point. It 
is supposed to have run from Universit}^ to 
Manstield streets, and as far south as Burnside 
street. All through this locality have been 
found manj' Indian relics, now preserved in 
Redj^ath Museum. 

Just beyond Mansfield, or (as the continua- 
tion of this street is called) McTavish, which 
runs toward the mountain, past the College 
grounds, we find at No. 887 the residence of 
Robert Craik, physician and surgeon, and Dean 
of the Medical Faculty of McGill, and two 
doors west, at No. 889, lives Wm. Peterson, 
C. M. G., LL.D., Principal of McGill University. 
At 893 resides George B. Reeve, former general 
manager of the Grand Trunk System, and at 
No. 898 lives a man of double size — by name 
and ability — President of the Bell Telephone 
Co., Mr. C. F. Sise. He has built up a system 
that is a marvel for efficienc3^ It includes 
both local and long distance. 

Misses S^-nimers and Smith, young ladies' 
school, is at No. 916. This is one of the most 
select private schools in Montreal. Just oppo- 
site, on the corner of Stanley street, is to be 



*Note. — See mention of this great physician 
among the list of '^ Titled Montreal." 



The Wandering Yankee. 



191 



seen the magnificent palace of Sir William Van 
Home.* ^ ^ - 

On the other corner, west, is the Mount Royal 
Club, or, as Sam called it, '' The Milvanares' 
Club " formerly the residence of Hon. John 
\bbott. Next, west, of the Club House, at 
No. 951, is the home of one of the best known 
and most successful business men in Canada, 




MOL'NT ItOYxVL CLUB. 

the Hon. L. J. Forget, In this locality we find 
the residences of two very prominent news- 
paper men, that of Hugh Graham, proprietor ot 
the Star, at No. 952 Sherbrooke; and that of 
Richard White, proprietor of the Gazette, at 
298 Stanley street, just west of Sherbrooke. 
Going on west Sam points out the home of bir 



^]s,'ote.— See " Titled Montreal." 



192 



TJic Wandering Yankee. 




Oldest Structure in 
Montreal. 



Melbourne Tait, Judge of tlie Suj)ei'ior Court, 
at No. 994, and at 995, across the street, lives 
the great merchant, Andrew F. Gault. At 
1000 lives Dr. F. W. Campbell, L.R.C.P., 
London, Dean of the Medical Faculty of the 
University of Bishop's College. 

At the head of Crescent street, stands one of 
Lhe finest of the Protestant churches in the 
Qitj, the Erskine Presbyterian, Rev. A. J. 
^lowatt, pastor. The Erskine is in part 
modelled after one of the fine churches of 
Minneapolis, Minn. In '' The Sherbrooke," 
which stands between Crescent street and 
Ontario Avenue, resides the Consul-General of 
France, Chancellier Eleve. At 1088 is the resi- 
dence of one of the great firm of S. Carsley «& 
Co., W. F. Carsley. It is in this locality where 
on the south side of Sherbrooke, near Mackay 
street, stands the great block of houses built 
by Maloney — of New York " boodle" fame. 
At 1065 stands a house with beautiful grounds, 
the home of Mrs. A. M. Redpath, and fine 
avenue leading up to it from Sherbrooke street. 
Just beyond, at 1121 is Mount A^iew, the park- 
like home of James Linton, with fine statuary 
scattered about the grounds. There are many 
other fine residences all along here, up to the 
huge buildings and grounds of the Grand Semi- 
nary, and Montreal College. I say " huge," for 
that is the word which will best express these 
enormous buildings — possibly unequalled in 
size on the Continent. 

From Sherbrooke we went dov»m Wood 
street, to St. Catherine, on the north-east 
corner of which stands the great 



TJic Wandering Yankee. 193 

Arena. 
built of iron and brick. It is used in winter 
for skating and hockey, and in summer as a 
concert and music hall, where is held the 
annual combined concert of all the Protestant 
schools of the city. This Annual is under the 
supervision of Professor Smith, and is an event 
of great importance. I have never heard any- 
thing in the line of children's singing equal to 
what I listened to at the Annual held recently 
in the Arena. It was grand and inspiring. To 
listen to the 2,000 voices made me change my 
notion of the teaching of singing in the public 
schools. 

Next north are 

The Montreal Baseball Grounds. 
formerly the grounds of the Shamrock Lacrosse 
Club, removed now to Mile End. Next, to the 
right, is a square called Western Park. 

Going east along St. Catherine we pass to the 
left a very pretty church, the Douglas Method- 
ist, at the corner of Chomedy street. Continu- 
ing to Guy, and looking northward, we see to 
the right Proctor's Theatre, wiiich is becoming 
one of the most popular places of amusement 
in the city. 

Church of St. James the Apostle. 

At Bishop street we find the Church of St. 
James the Apostle. Rev. Canon Ellegood, 
M.A., Rector. 

" Colonel," said I as we reached this church, 
'' this is where Company M. of the Vermont 
National Guards, from Burlington, attended 
the time they were up here in May. Canon 
Ellegood, chaplain of the Victoria Rifles, gave 



194 



The Wandering Yankee. 




Canon Ellc^ood. 



the boys a hearty welcome, and the choir sang 
''America," out of compliment to the Company. 
You know, I told you about Captain E. H. 
Prouty and Lieutenant F. G. Taggart, of Com- 
pany M. It made me feel like as though I were 
at home to see ' the boys in blue.' By the 
way, did I ever tell you that this is the chuteli 
were so many of England's noted men worship- 




CHURCH OF ST. JAMES THE ArOSTLE. 

ped when in Montreal ?" '' No ?" " Oh, yes, 
there were the Duke of Connaught, Lord Wols- 
ley, General Buller, Governors Landsdowne 
and Stanley, now Lord Derby, and a number of 
others whom I have forgotten. Canon Elle- 
good is a great favorite, and no wonder — he is 
not onl}^ a good minister, but a good man." 

"Don't that always follow ?" 

" Well, we will not argue that question, Co- 



The Wandering: Yankee. 195 



loiiel, as I want to tell you of the choir — one of 
the really excellent choirs of the city. The so- 
pranos are Miss Marie Hollinshead and Mrs. 
Hamilton. Altos, Miss Florence Wishart, Mrs. 
Thornton and Mrs. Scott. Of the tenors the 
leaders are Henry Miles and J. C. Barlow. 
Yes, this is the Henry Miles who used to be 
President of the Board of Trade, and, as 
' Hermes' w^on the prize for answering 98 of 100 
questions on Canada, a number of years ago. 
Oh, yes, indeed, Colonel, a Montreal choir often 
carries the prominents of the city. The positions 
of first, second and third bass are held by Frank 
Ramsay, A. Frank Ibbotson and Henry Upton. 
Of the organist, John Herbert Lauer, I have 
spoken elsewhere, as I have also of others of 
this choir. Oh, ^-es, Colonel, here is where I 
heard that wonderful choir boy I was telling 
you about, Allen Glover; he's only thirteen 
years old, but, oh, how he can sing ! His notes 
are as clear as a bird's and he can hold them 
equal to a trained singer." 

Canon Ellegood. 

" Colonel, I will tell you this evening about 
Canon Ellegood. He is one of the kind a bio- 
grapher loves to find." That evening I told 
Horatius how that the Canon's grandfather 
had lived in Virginia, at and before the time of 
the Revolutionary War, how he had raised a 
regiment, and, being loyal to the King, had 
fought against us, (fought for a principle, for 
which, though it be against my side, I ever 
willingly accord a man the right, and respect 
him for it), and when the war was over remov- 
ed to Fredericton, N.B., taking with him all 



196 The IVaiidcriii'^ ]'aiikcc 



<b 



liis slaves — even taking to j)ieces his house 
and carrying- it on ship to his new home. 

The Canon was born at Fredericton, March 
16th, 182-1. Came to Montreal by way of Boston, 
reached Stanstead, P.Q., May 25th', 1818. He 
was the next day ordained a deacon and 
preached his first sermon in St. Johns, for the 
late Canon Bancroft. He came at once to 
Montreal, became curate of Christ's Church, 
next at St. Ann's, in Griffintown, now the St. 
Edward Church, on St. Paul's, corner of In- 
spector street. In 1862, Charles Phillii)s gave 
the ground and a large subscription for the St. 
James the Apostle, and in 1861 he began his 
work, and has been in charge ever since. Thirty- 
eight years ! This, alone, would warrant my 
giving him this lengthy notice, but when I hear 
all that he has been to his fellow men, I could 
go on to the end, talking of him. In 1851, 
when the ship fever was here, Canon Ellegood 
was in the midst of it, working like a hero, and, 
in every call for duty, he has ever responded. 
He has seemed absolutely devoid of fear. Ah, 
such men as he, it is a pleasure to write of 
them ! 

In 1898, on the anniversary of his fiftieth 
year in the ministry, his friends held for him a 
jubilee, at which creed was forgotten and the 
ministers of the city vied with each other in 
honoring him. He was presented on that oc- 
casion with a thousand dollar oil painting, 
from which I have taken this miniature copy. 

I am indebted to Mr. S. O. Shorey for this 
sketch. 

Between Drummond and Stanley, at No. 2134, 
is the Y .W. C. A. Temporarj^ Home for Work- 



The JVaiidcrino- Yankee. 19' 



ing Girls, under the charge of Miss A. M. E. 
Hill. This Home is most deserving, and is 
doing much good. I always feel like speaking 
a kind word for those who in any wa}' make 
the life of their sisters happier. 

At the corner of Stanley is a fine church, the 
Emmanuel Congregational, Kev. Hugh Pedley, 
B.A. pastor, A short distance south, on 
Stanle}'', is Temple Emanu-El. Rev. Lindman, 
a rising young Ohio man, has lately taken this 
charge. Near by is the Stanley Street Presby- 
terian Church. Rev. F. M. Dewey is the genial 
pastor. 

The Victoria Skating Club. 

is at 36 Stanley. This is the oldest and most 
popular rink in the city. Here have been held 
some of the finest carnivals on the continent. 

The Horticultural Society has held its ex- 
hibitions here for a number of years, and the 
American Medical Association held one of its 
Annuals in this Rink. It is a very historical 
old landmark. Returning to the corner of 
Stanley and St. Catherine is Stanley Hall, 
where Frank Norman has his dancing and 
physical culture classes— the most select in the 
city. At 242(3, we see Professor J. P. Steph- 
en's School of Elocution. The Professor looks 
after the elocution of the public schools of the 
city. 

At one o'clock we h'ft the Windsor, just north 
of which we turned east on St. Catherine, 
where w^e had left off at Peel street. 

Up a half block from St. Catherine, on Peel 
street, we saw the High School, at which you 
may remember, I asked the fifty questions 
about the United States. 



198 The Wandering Yankee. 

We came to the old Wellington Terrace — to 
the right, running from Mansfield to McGill 
College avenue. This block was one of the 
first erected on St. Catherine west, and named 
for the great Wellington, whose statue sur- 
mounts it. Here Sam pointed out the store of 
G. Herzberg, at 2306, and told me of -what is 
possible for a man to do : " That man started 
about a year ago without a dollar, got a little 
credit, hired a cutter from some place down in 
the States, ran along, paid all his bills before 
they were due, until he can now get anything 
he wants. He is over run with business, for he 
is way down reasonable, and that Yankee 
cutter knows how to cut " to the King's taste," 
And yet some say it's hard to do business in 
these days — not at all, if one only knows how! 

Looking up, the Colonel saw, two statues of 
Wellington, one at either end of the block, and 
said: "■ Sam, I see two statues, come, now, tell 
us why two?" Sam was silent for a minute, 
then quickly replied: " Oh, yes, I have it. One 
of thim represents Wellington before, and the 
other after, the battle of Waterloo. See, he 
houlds in his hand beyand a sewerd which he 
win in the battle." Even the Colonel was 
satisfied with the " two." 

At 2288, Sam said, " Mr. Ruben, here's a 
furm that may interest you. This is Alex. 
Nelson and Co., the ' Dunlop ' of Montreal." 
" How's that, Sam ?" " Why, don't ye see— 
they have hats ? and they air the bist in 
town." " Thank you, Sam," said the Colonel. 
'' Rube, now you see, even the driver thinks 
you need a new one." But Sam, seeming to 
think he had been too personal, turned it off by 
saying " Yes, and they air wan of the finest fur 



The Wandering Yankee. 199 

furms in Montreal. This is only a branch of 
their great manufacturing house at 1864 Notre 
Dame street, where they make nothing but the 
best garments." There was one thing about 
Sam, whenever he had a good word for any 
one, I always found that one w^as the best in 
his or their line. 

Looking up Victoria street we see on the east 
side, at No. 13, the* Academy of Music, one of 
J. B. Sparrow's theatres. This is the theatre 
at which the best companies are to be seen. 

Almost opposite to Victoria Street or about 
where Renouf's book store is now, was the 
entrance to the 

Crystal Palace, 
of 1860, built for the Montreal Exposition. 

At Union Avenue and St. Catherine street is 
Christ Church Cathedral, referred to in the 
Notre Dame street route, Just across from 
the Cathedral, and running to Aylmer street, 
facing Phillips Square, is 

The Colonial House, 
worthy of an extended notice, as it is one of 
the features of Montreal. It is possibly the 
|inest department store in Canada. Covering 
as I said, a whole block in front, it extends 
along Aylmer street side 300 feet. Its floor 
space covers many acres. The outside of the 
building may be seen from the picture. Its 
interior is perfectly arranged. What is per- 
haps the most pleasing feature of a visit to the 
Colonial House is the contented faces one sees, 
as the store has possibly the best system of 
dealing with its emplo^-ees of any in the world. 
That system is fair to them, and the result is 
that they are happy and give back a cheerful 



200 



TJic Wandering Yankee. 



service. Here as in many places in Montreal 
one sees people who have grown grey in the 
service of the house. Don't miss seeing the" 
Colonial. A visit will repay you. 




CHRIST CHUKCII CATHEDRAL. 



Diagonally across at the easterly corner of 
Phillips Square, stands a fine 

Art Gallery. 
Montreal has few art gallerys; but the private 
collections are possibly unequalled by cities of 



The Wandering Yankee. 



201 



many times its size. I might have mentioned 
the gallery to be seen at the Colonial House, as 
the fine arts are well represented at this great 
emporium. In the public gallery just mention- 
ed are some rare specimens of the work of 
Canada's best artists. The landscapes of 
Brymner, Hammond, Raphael, and Bridges; 
the portrait work of Harris, Forbes, and Bell 
Smith; the seascapes of Crillen and the impres- 




COLONIAL HOUSE-HENRY MOFIGAN & CO. 



sionist work of Curzon and many other noted 
artists' works are to be seen here. A day 
might well be spent in visiting this gallery, 
the pride of the city, for most of its best work 
is from the brushes of Montreal artists. 

To the right, just before reaching Phillips 
Square, we see the fino 



Birks Building, on the 



202 



The Wandering Yankee. 




The Wandering Yankee, 



203 



corner of Union Avenue. Here we find tlie 
Sarony and Tiffany of Montreal — Birli:s & 
Sons and Notman «& Son. Tlie one carries a 
stock of jewellery that would do credit to any 
cit}^ in America, while the name of '' Not- 




ST. JAMES METHODIST CHURCH. (Xew.) 

man " is almost as well known in New York 
as in Montreal, for this firm stands rii^ht 
along at the top among photographers. I am 
trying hard not to make this a ''picture book," 
but every visit to Notman's adds to it, as I 



204 The Wandering Yankee. 

ean't resist his collection. Odd to see two at 
tlie head of the procession doing business at 
the same corner ! 

At the corner of City Councillors street is 
the First Baptist Church, Rev. J. A. Gordon, 
pastor. Just opposite is St. Gabriel Presby- 
terian Church, Rev. Robert Campbell, D.D. 
Then, occupying a whole block, is seen the 
largest Protestant church on the continent, 
the St. James Methodist, Rev. J. W. Graham 
and Rev. C. A. Sykes, pastors. 

From St. Catherine we turned down Bleury 
to Dorchester street, passing the Jesuit Church 
and St. Mary's College adjoining, — (mentioned 
among churches). At the corner of Bleury and 
Dorchester Sam pointed east on the latter to 
Dufferin Square, a block away. It was once a 
Protestant burying ground. The first point of 
interest is at St. Alexander street, on which 
and near Dorchester, we can see to the right 

The Sacred Heart Convent and Scliool. 

Here attend young ladies from not only all 
])arts of Canada, but very many from the 
T'nited States. It is one of the most popular 
schools in the Dominion. There is also con- 
nected with it a large establishment at the 
Back River, reached by the Park and Island 
trolley. 

To the left is seen St. Patrick's Church and 
Orphan Asylum. In the yard behind the asy- 
lum stands the original " Mother House," 
known as the Rochblanc House. Here is also 
seen St. Bridget's Home. 

At 807 is the Masonic Temple, and almost 
adjoining, and cornering on University street, is 



The Wandcriiii: Ycnikcc. 



205 



The Fraser Institute. 

It is more of a library than an institute. 
In this building are the rooms of the Montreal 
Horticultural Society. Immediately opposite 
is the beautiful home of 

The St. James's Club. 

From this corner, looking down Hanover, (a 
continuation of University street), may be seen 




ST. JAMES S CLUB. 



the old High School, where many of the 
prominents of the city received their educa- 
tion. A little west of this school, and facing 
Palace street, is the Koman Catholic High 
School, a large and imx)Osing building. 

Looking north toward St. Catherine street, 



) 



206 The Wandering Yankee. 

Natural History Society's Museum. 

we see the Natural History Society's Museum, 
free to the public— well worthy a visit. Here 
may be seen two Egyptian mummies in their 
cases— the most complete specimens on this 
continent. Continuing along Dorchester 
to No. 845, we pass the residence of 
the Hon. George Washington Stevens, 
M. P. P. His house is in very spacious, 
well wooded grounds. The Hon. Mr. Stevens 
has long been a prominent figure in 
local as well as provincial affairs. We 
pass to the left St. Paul's Presbyterian 
Church, at No. 852, Rev. James Barclay, 
M.A., D.D., minister. Just beyond is 
the beautiful home, and fine grounds, of Mr. 
J. H. Joseph. At. No. 877 are the offices and 
rooms of the Canadian Society of Civil Engi- 
neers. At the corner of Mansfield, is the Knox 
Presbyterian Church, with its fine carving over 
the facade. Rev. Jas. Fleck, B.A., pastor. 
Adjoining, and facing Dorchester and Do- 
minion Square, is the large Y. M. C. A. building, 
mentioned before. Also the aforementioned 
St. James Cathedral. 

Here we cross through Dominion Square to 
the starting point of the morning drive. We 
see on the corner of Drummond and Dorchester 
the American Presbyterian Church, of plea- 
sant memory, as many a fine sermon I have 
heard by its pastor, Rev. T. S. McWilliams. 

Further along are the Montreal Conserva- 
tory of Music and the Dominion College of 
Music. Next to the right, we pass the Cres- 
cent Street Presbyterian Church. 

That dome-like building to the left is the 



The Wandering Yankee. 207 

Crystal Skating rink, and Bicycle Academy. 
And to the right, beginning at Guy street, are 
the extensive grounds of the Grey Nunnery, 
letters patent for which were issued in 1692, 
founded 1755, comprising the Nunnery proper. 
Church, Orphan Asylum, and Hospital. Not 
far from ,St. Mark street, at No. 1149, is the 
handsome residence of Sir Thomas G. Shaugh- 
nessy. President of the C. P. R., and immedi- 
ately west is the magnificent residence of Lord 
Strathcona and Mount Royal, G.C., M.G., High 
Commissioner for Canada in London.* Just 
opposite we find the park-like grounds of Edge- 
hill — filled with private residences — one of 
which is the new house of Narcissus Peacock, 
whose stable is one of the finest in the Do- 
minion. It contains some fine record trotters. 
In passing let me say that few cities have finer 
horses than Montreal. 

Beyond, one block to the left, are the church 
and workshops of the Franciscans. At Essex 
and Dorchester is the Western Hospital, just 
beyond which we come to Atwater, a wide 
avenue. This Is the dividing line between 
Montreal and Westmount. Had Sam not 
mentioned the fact I could have known that 
we were in another city by the look of the 
streets. I -asked, "Sam, why is this?" "I 
don't know, but I heard that Westmount is run 
by business men, who look more to the interest 
of the town than to what they can make out of 
it for thimsilves.'' There is no question but 
that Westmount is well looked after for some 
reason. 



*Note. — Sir Thomas and Lord Strathcona 
mentioned under " Titled Montreal." 



208 The Wandering Yankee. 

To our left, on the west side of Atwater, is 
the small St. Stephen's Chapel. We drove down 
Bruce avenue, which ends at the C.P.R. track, 
to get a view over the suburban towns of St. 
Henri, Ste. Cunegonde (immediately before us), 
Cote St. Paul, and Verdun, then back to Dor- 
chester, which ends one block away, at the 
Montreal Amateur Athletic Association 
grounds, with its toboggan, skating, lacrosse, 
etc. The grounds are enclosed hj a high 
fence, and are quite extensive, with immense 
seating capacity. Up one block, at Hallowell 
street, we again found St. Catherine street, out 
which, to the west, we reach The Glen, passing 
on the way many fine residences. This Glen 
was formerly a large water course, leading- 
down from tlie mountain. We went out St. 
Catherine street to Victoria avenue and up a 
steep' hill to Cote St. Antoine road, crossing 
the noted driveway of Westmount, Western 
avenue — with its long rows of trees and 
beautifully kept, grass-bordered sidewalks. 
Just beyond this avenue, looking out Victoria, 
a good view is had, to the left on the far hill, 
of the burned ruins of Ville Marie Convent. 

Passing down Cote St. Antoine road, back 
toward the city, we see all along many old 
homesteads, interspersed with new and modern 
houses. Among which is the home of West- 
mount's Mayor, Mr. Lighthall (of former 
mention) on the north-west corner of Murray 
avenue. There is a pretty tree embowered 
Anglican church, just beyond. One block 
further on, on the same side, is St. Andrew's 
Church, Rev. G. F. Johnson, a young but rapid- 
ly rising Nova Scotian, being pastor. To the 



The Wandcrinic Yankee. 209 



right, is the Westmount Curliug Rink, whose 
membership includes the best citizens of the 
town. To the left is seen the Westmount 
City Hall, police station, and fire hall. This 
is not a very imposing building, but then 
Westmount really has no need for a police 
station, or even a fire hall. The assembly hall 
of the town is Victoria Hall, a very handsome 
building, situated in the park, containing a 
public gymnasium. Situated alongside Vic- 
toria Hall is the public library, a fine building, 
erected for the purpose. In the park is a 
public swimming bath, as well as recreation 
grounds. Right here may be seen the follow- 
ing sign: '^Private grounds, temporarily open- 
ed to the residents of Westmount.'^ This is 
in strange contrast to one seen near by on en- 
tering Montreal, as follows : " The Police will 
arrest any one found on this property." Con- 
tinuing our drive on St. Antoine road, we 
reach Westmount Academy, a fine, imposing 
building, almost opposite to which begin the 
grounds to be made into a beautiful and exten- 
sive park. 

Coming east we reached Wood avenue, 
where our westward morning trip had ended, 
as we turned south to St. -Catherine. This 
time we turned north, and, by a zig-zag road 
known as Holton avenue, we reached Kinnon 
avenue, the highest on the mountain side. 
This we followed out to Cote des Neiges Vil- 
lage (Hill of the Snows) road, just before 
reaching which we saw to the left a little 
stone tower known as the Trafalgar— legend 
says it was built by an old sea-captain, who on 



210 



The Wandering Yankee. 



Trafalgar Day fired off a little cannon to cele- 
brate the victory in which he had taken part. 
There is also a haunted story connected with 
it. 

Out the Cote des Neiges road a short distance 
is the property of the late Col. Strathy, and 
further along, adjoining, is the ground where 
stood the old 

Capitulation House, 
where Gen. Amherst had his headquarters, and 




CITY rtESERYOIll FROM THE PARK. 



where the French Governor surrendered to the 
English — in 1760 — Sept. 8 — then under Gen- 
erals Amherst and Murray. The site is now 
occupied by the Westmount reservoir. To the 
right at the corner of this (Kinnon) avenue, at 
Cote des Neiges road, is the old Botanical 
Gardens of McGill College, and opposite is the 



The lVandcrins[ Yankee. 211 



Donald Ross house — once occupied as a ladies' 
college. I've had much toll-gate experience, 
but never before did I have to pay 15 cts. to go 
135 feet, as I had to at this point, to reach the 
city limits, where we turned to the left into 

Mount Royal Park, 

which comprises 464 acres of the mountain, 
and should be seen by driving, as the distances 
are such that it would be too fatiguing to 
walk. 

The views from the various points are al- 
most like looking down from Pen Mar, on the 
Western Maryland railroad— west of Balti- 
more. 

Looking toward the river over the city, we 
see at the extreme west the Lachine Rapids,— 
Heron Island, St. Paul or Nuns' Island, then 
ihe Victoria .bridge, at the further end of 
which is the village of St. Lambert. Next the 
Islands, Mo^Iatt and St. Helen, in front of the 
city. Of the towns seen from the mountain 
I speak elsewhere. 

We left the park and drove first through 

Cote des Neiges Cemetery, 

the Catholic burial place. It is beauti- 
ful and contains many handsome monu- 
ments and vaults. Sam pointed out the 
Stations of the Cross; the monument erected 
to the " patriots of the Rebellion of 1837," and 
a number of other points of interest, but the 
one that will possibly attract most the atten- 
tion of the tourist is the monument of Frs. 
Guibord, who was, for some religious reason, 



212 The VVandcvinor Yankee. 



is 



long refused burial herein. Tlie monument is 
a great boulder with a marble tablet 
set in; but which has been so cut away by 
relic-hunters and others, that it is now almost 
level with the boulder itself. He is buried 
over six feet below the ground, which is only 
consecrated to that depth — so says Sam. 

Crossing the road dividing the two grounds, 
which road, by the way, ends at where the two 
entrance gates face each other, we entered the 
Protestant or 

Mount Royal Cemetery. 

Like the one just seen, it is beautifully laid 
out, and well kept. The first thing of interest 
that attracts the attention, is the Firemen's 
lot and monument. Numerous vaults are to 
be seen, though not so many as in the Oote des 
Neiges. On the highest point of the grounds 
may be seen the Molson monuments and 
vaults. To the left of these is the magnificent 
Crematory and Conservator}. There is nothing 
on the Continent to equal it in beaut}'. It is 
very large, and perfect in all its appointments. 
It is one of the sights which no tourist should 
miss. Coming down the hill leading to the 
front, or main entrance, we pass the Hackett 
monument, the interesting particulars of which 
all '' Sams" will give you. In this cemeter}^ is 
buried Heavysage, the noted poet, author of 
" Saul," and other poems. Speaking of Saul 
reminds me that David is also buried here. 
His vault contains the simple name. One day 
a little Sunday-school boy visiting the cemetery 
with his mother, on coming to this vault stop- 



The Wandcrim[ Yankee. 



ped, and, in amazement, said : " Oh, mamma, 
see quick, here is where David is buried!" 
Deserving of special mention are a number of 
Celtic Crosses seen here, Ross says of them 
that they are the most perfect specimens in 
America, he having made a study of those 
found ill Ireland, and pronounces these pure in 
style. 

Passing out under a beautiful stone arch, to 
the left of which is the Superintendent's house 
and office, and to the right the chapel, we find 
ourselves in a fine tree-lined road, leading back 
to the city. Along this road and near to the 
Blount Royal entrance, are situated two 
Jewish Cemeteries. The Chaldaic lettering 
and antique tomb-stones deserve more than a 
hurried notice. We came down this road to 
Park avenue, where we again entered the Park 
through Fletcher's field, passing on the way the 
Montreal Royal Golf Club links and pretty 
Club house to the immense buildings and 
crrounds of the 



comprising a nunnery, hospital and chapel. 
The full name of this greatest of Roman Catho- 
lic hospitals in Montreal, is Hotel Dieu St. 
Joseph de Ville Marie. The grounds are about 
three quarters of a mile in circumference, sur- 
rounded by a high stone wall. It was founded in 
1644 by the Duchess de Bullion, " the 
unknown benefactress," who gave 40,000 livre 
to fourd a hospital. At that time there 
seemed no occasion to use so great a sum for 
a hospital, but later on the Indian wars 
showed the wisdom of her gift. It has in all 



14 



Thi 



Wandering Yankee. 



the years since done a vast measure of good. 
The original hospital was on St. Paul street 
near Custom House Square, mentioned in the 
morning trip. On the front wall of the 
present building is a tablet. Mile. Mance, its 
foundress, was an interesting woman, whose 
works are seen on all sides, about the city. 
From Hotel Dieu we returned to St. Catherine 
street by way of Park avenue proper, to Milton 




EOYAL VICTORIA HOSPITAL. 

street, thence west to University street, on the 
corner of which is situated the fine building of 
the 



Methodist Theolog-ical College. 

University street near this point has two insti- 
tutions of special interest, one is 



The IVaiidcriiig ]\iiikci\ 215 

The Diocesan Ang-lican College. 

on the left, going south toAvard Sherbrooke, 
and the other is the 

Royal Victoria Hospital, 

in the otlier direction on Pine Avenue. This 
was a gift of Lord Strathcona and Lord Mount 
Stephen. It is by far the finest hospital in 
Montreal. It looks like a great Scotch castle. 
Its location on the side of the mountain is 
most beautiful, picturesque and commanding. 
It is surrounded by extensive and well-kept 
grounds. 

Turning to the left on to Pine Avenue, pass- 
ing the lower or main reservoir, at the rear of 
McGill College grounds, w^e came to McTavish 
street, at the head of which is seen the beauti- 
ful residence and grounds of the Allans. 
Slightly west of which, bordering the park 
road, may be seen the upper reservoir, and, 
surrounded by a stone wall, is the McTavish 
monument, overgrown with bushes and trees. 
Thence down McTavish street, we pass at the 
left the Presbyterian College, Dr. McYicker, 
President, and the Congregational College to 
the right ; also the magnificent new library of 
McGill University, on the left, we reach Sher- 
brooke, and thence came down Metcalf street 
to Dominion Square. 



216 The Wandering Yankee. 



Snbttibait H^rips. 

Que of the suburban trips is to the town of 

Lachine, 

about nine miles up the river from the city, by 
way of McGill street to Common, from 
w^hich we cross Black's Bridge over the 
head of the canal locks into Mill street, which 
is well named, as here are located some of the 
great industries of Montreal. Huge rolling 
and nail-making mills, Ogilvie's elevator and 
flouring mills. We cross a flume of the canal 
and see to the right Tait's ship yard-, to the left 
the Laing Meat Company's great packing 
houses. We pass the cattle yards of the 
Grand Trunk. Out St. Etienne street to the 
left may be had a good view of the immense 
Victoria Bridge. Turning to the right we 
reach Wellington street, near which are the 
offices and car yards of the Grand Trunk. The 
general offices are just now being removed to 
McGill street, to the new offices. Out Welling- 
ton street through 

Point St. Charles, 

to the city limits. One is pleasantly disap- 
pointed with this part of Montreal. I had 
the impression that it was all an inferior por- 
tion — but instead the neat houses and well- 
kept lawns bespeak much for the fine-looking 
people we meet in passing. 



The Wandering Yankee. 217 

St. Paul, or Nun's Island, 

is seen off to the left. It is long and narrow 
and well wooded. The dyke, built to keep out 
the spring floods, obstructs the view of the 
river, out to 

Verdun, 

a pretty suburb along the river and extending 
back some distance. Just beyond to the right 
is seen the immense 

Verdun Insane Asylum, 

belonging to the Protestants. The grounds are 
extensive and well kept. At Verdun are two 
parks, the King's and Queen's — with enclosed 
ball grounds. The river is several miles wide 
above Nun's Island — just after passing which, 
far across the bay — as here the river seems — 
is seen the small town of 

Laprairie, 

which is reached from the city by a ferry boat 
that makes several trips daily. This village is 
a favorite camping ground for the militia — as 
there is here a large open common. All along 
are pretty houses. Especially so is that of the 
Ogilvies, with its immense grounds and large 
house, with outhouses. 

We pass the great powerhouse of the Elec- 
tric Light Company, built far out into the river 
where the 

Lachine Rapids, 
are divided by 

He Heron, 

I had thought and the thought is general 
with the stranger, that the rapids are at 



218 



The IVandcring Yankee. 



Lachine; but instead they are not much over 
half way out from the city. 

There are many very old houses all along 
this lower road, but the one which has cluster- 
ing round it the greatest interest is 

The Lasalle Homestead of 1666, 

but, owing to a want of pride in the old, the 
" clustering " will soon be a memory only, as 
there is little left to mark the spot save a pile 
of rocks from the crumblinc: walls. These 




THE LASALLE HOMESTEAD OF ] GGO. 

ruins are seen a short distance west of the 
'' New Inland Cut," of the Montreal AVater- 
works, and just at the foot of the " Fraser 
Hill," an elm-embowered rise in the road, on 
the top of which resides Miss Fraser, the 
daughter and onl}^ surviving member of the 
family of John Fraser, a remarkable man of 
the old school. It is to him I am much indebt- 
ed for many things of interest on this Lower 



The Wandering Yankee. 219 

Road, as his writings are very prolific — of facts 
which might have been lost but for him. 

I'm going to say it some place, and had as 
well say it here as anywhere, that the Province 
of Quebec owes it to the tourist to look after 
its old landmarks better than it does. The 
inquisitive Yankee is ever hunting up the old, 
and he spends enough money in Canada to 
have the " old " kept up, and not allowed to 
fall into ruins, as many an historic house has 
been allowed to fall. The La Salle house was 
a landmark of great interest — it lies in ruins. 
Chateau Bigot, near Quebec was the Mecca 
of many a hunter after the old histories — but 
part of two walls of it remain. A few years 
more and grass will grow over the spots where 
once they stood, especially so if fence material 
continues scarce in their localities, and the 
owners of them continue to be economically 
devoid of all sentiment for the '- old." The 
Province should buy and preserve the old 
landmarks, and not allow them to be lost, 
else when all are gone the aforesaid '' Inquisi- 
tive" may seek elsewhere the things which he 
will go all sorts of distances and spend various 
kinds of money, which he so willingly parts 
with, if he can see the " old." If you who 
make the laws lack sentiment, then preserve 
the landmarks as an investment, as the tour- 
ists' money will pour in as long as there is 
anything to see. 

This old house— La Salle's— the first built in 
Lachine or vicinity, occupied by three men of 
more than national interest — Champlain, La 
Salle, and Cuillerier,— has been allowed to fall 
into ruins, and the almost sacred stones used 



220 The Wandering: Yankee 



to keep the cliickens out of the front yard of 
the house adjoining. The history of La Salle 
is worthy of a volume rather than a passing 
notice. He once lived at the corner of St. 
Paul — No. 498 — and St. Peter streets, where is 
seen a tablet. From this house he w^ent to live 
in Lachine. It is said that the name "' La- 
chine'' came from an exclamation of La Salle. 
When he beheld the widening of the St. Law- 
rence into Lake St. Louis, he cried out: '^ La 
Chine!" thinking he had found China — The 
Chine — or La Chine. From here his intrepid 
longing for discovery carried him to the far 
west, where, as the first white man, he saw 
the Mississippi River. Read his life. It's 
worth while. 

Beyond and to the right, just before coming 
to the long Canadian Pacific bridge that 
crosses the river, we see 

The Novitiate of the Oblate Fathers. 

where are 35 young men preparing for the 
priesthood. 

The Canadian Pacific Bridge, 

under which we shortly pass, is nearly a mile 
long, and very high above the water. About 
300 yards further on, toward the town proper 
stands 

The Old Windmill, 

which, like the La Salle homestead, is one of 
the sights of this Lower Road. It is fast going 
to decay. The long arms have fallen away and 
the wooden covering of the stones is dropping 
off. Mrs. Flemming, a kind-faced old lady, 
lives in the small house that stands by the 



The Wandering Yankee. 



221 



roadside in front of the old mill, the story of 
which is interesting. The father of her hus- 
band wanted to erect it, but a claim was made 
that no one had a right to build a grinding mill 
save those who had the original charter for 




OLD WINDMILL. 



the Island. He fought it through many 
Courts, claiming that the charter rights cover- 
ed only water rights, but that the air of heaven 
was free. He w^on his case, built the mill and 
ground the first oatmeal in the country. He 



900 



The Wandering Yankee. 



died, leaving the mill to his son, who ran it 
for years, and he, too, passed away, leaving 
the inheritance to the original winds, and they 
for years have ground and ground, but their 
grist is the mill itself. 

Lachine. 

We are now in the old town, miles long, but 
very narrow. Directly across the river is seen 
the Indian town of 

Coughnawaga, 

the Reservation of these people extending for 
miles up and down the river. 



foAour/n^ Ut,e vuToooLi }}'sc^co>vi occu^ueS, 




Z 2ndLan,VCUa.se - '6^1^ On.Uei-a.nJ. »»StJR5^ 
iracriisrehlit.t.'nyancTclon.euf'ere 
Ca.1?iey>n-e TeAc- '-'itha. prated and. 
She ,1 ljo.ye6i 



J 7nc/ian,yi U-aqtiTc2ra.V7y (/SV/ u,han. Vie., 
returnea. Co Mckireal. Cfi-xrU^^i,. s^. 
Tthare teen7J>f>^ There '-n. /^oS 



This Lower Road over which we have just 
passed was in the early days known as 

The King's Highway, 

and was the only means of reaching Lachine. 
Here have marched up and down in the long 
ago the men who carved out a nation. Ere 



The IVaiidcriiis^ Yankee . 



<^ 



long there will be nothing left to connect that 
long ago with the present. Egypt, the un- 
civilized (?) spent the wealth of thirty dynas- 
ties to carry down the long corridors of time 
the fact that they once existed, while we of 
this later day, vandally tear down every ves- 
tige of the old, commercializing the very 
stones that marked the spots made sacred by 
the men who founded a new world. For 
shame — Canada, save the landmarks! 

AYe reach the canal, and, while the draw- 
bridge is open, we sit and look to the right and 
see the vast works of the Dominion Bridge 
Company, to the left, in the canal basin, we see 
for the first time two great whaleback 
steamers. Had often read of them, but this 
was our first sight of these mammoth grain 
and coal carriers. We cross the bridge when 
closed and drive up along the road or street 
that skirts the water front in places, and 
always near it. 

Lake St. Louis, 

is the widening of the St. Lawrence river, be- 
ginning at Lachine, and extending up the river. 
It is said to cover 200 square miles, and has 
numy pretty islands, the principal ones in sight 
are the three, Le Dorval. 

A beautiful view of the lake is had from 

Lake View House, 

just near the Grand Trunk Railway station 
and wharf of the Ottawa River Navigation 
Company, where the steamer " Sovereign" 
starts up the Ottawa. This well-known house 
was undergoing repairs the day we were in 



224 The JVandcrins^ Yankee. 



i> 



town — when completed it will be a fine hostel- 
ry. Rumor says it is to be run by one of the 
best known in his line in Montreal. Be that 
as it may, here is the best lake view to be had. 
I tried to ,get the history of this old house — 
one of the historic houses of Lachine, but did 
not succeed. You may look for it in the sec- 
ond edition. 

Post Office. 

Lachine has the best post-office. building I 
have ever seen in so small a town. In Canada 
the Government erects office buildings in far 
smaller towns than we do. This fine stone 
structure would do credit to a city. It stands 
near the old wharf, and not far from where 
the Grand Trunk Railway formerlj^ ran to a 
ferry Tv^harf, from which the cars were carried 
across the lake in boats, to a point above 
Caughnawaga. 

It is here where are held many yacht regat- 
tas. There is a boat club here, with a large 
membership from Montreal. Of Lake St. 
Louis I will speak later, as the Colonel and I 
were shortly to go to St. Anne's, at the head 
of the lake — up there where the Ottawa river 
enters the St. Lawrence. 

The Canal. 

The Lachine Canal begins here and runs nine 
miles to the Montreal Harbor. Boats can go 
down the rapids, but coming up must come by 
the canal, which is wide and deep enough for 
large river and lake steamships. Ships can 
run by night as well as by day as it is now 
lighted the whole way by electric lights. 



The IVandcrinor Yankee. 225 



'^> 



Lachine was once the summer residence of 
many Montrealers, but since the opening up, by 
the Canadian Pacific, of the beautiful Lauren- 
tides, they have quite deserted this little city 
— which notwithstanding is growing into a 
prosperous suburb, owing to the great manu- 
facturing interests here. 

Here is a large Roman Catholic church, 
but the one of more interest to the tourist is 
the old chapel, in the rear — surrounded by 
little white monuments to the long ago dead. 
A stone tablet at the left of the chapel door, 
tells of the shipwreck of all but one of a family 
of eleven. Of all one son was left, whose love 
prompted this tablet. 

The Upper Road. 

We return to Montreal by the upper road — 
all along which there are many pretty views. 
Being high the canal, river and intervening 
country presents a fine scene — with the city in 
front, and all along the far away horizon loom 
the mountain ranges — some of them nearly 
one hundred miles away. We pass the 

Blue Bonnet Village, 

with the houses nearly all gone. This was a 
famous stopping place for the troops in 1837 
and '38, during Rebellion times. We pass 

Kensington, 

a suburb that promises much as a western ex- 
tension of the city. It is high and very well 
located. We pass the Penner Farm, once 
noted for its cider. Beyond this farm we turn 
abruptly to the left into Cote St. Luke. We 



226 The Wandering Yankee. 

shortly cross the Windsor branch of the C.P.R., 
and on the left, on the hill, pass the 
Mackay Institute, 

for the Deaf and Dumb. Cote St. Antoine 
road, of former mention, ends here. This road 
on which we are passing is the western limit 
of Westmount. To the right we pass the Cote 
St. Luke Church — the old Monklands, formerly 
the residence of Canada's Governors, now 
called Villa Marie, and several massive build- 
ings — the Nuns' Seminary for 3^oung ladie^. The 
burned ruins of the Ste. Marie Convent are seen 
again on a far hill. We shortly turn to the 
right, pass, on the left, the junction of the 
''Around the Mountain" trolley line with that 
of the one running out to Cartierville, go on 
east to the suburb of Cote des Neiges with 
a magnificent view of country all along toward 
the north to the Rivier la Prairie, or Back 
River. This view is worth coming far to see. 
It is one of the finest of any save that from 
the Mountain itself. We see far down in the 
distance the town of St. Laurent with its great 
double-towered church and schools. On the 
left we pass the Montreal Hunt Club House 
and fine grounds, and the Notre Dame College, 
and on the right the tree embowered house, once 
the country home of the M.A.A.A., of frequent 
mention. Here we turn to the left and are 
in the village of Cote de Neiges. Up the road 
on which we find ourselves, once passed Am- 
herst's army, to take the city from the French 
in 1760. Passing a church we come to the 
junction of the Cote St. Catherine road. The 
view of the country from here is a poem — 
which I cannot write. See it yourself. 



The Wandering Yankee. 227 



Passing many pretty homes along the Cote 
St. Catherine road, we enter Outremont — 
'' Beyond the Mountain" — to the left is the 
old Deas house, now the municipal hall — the 
scene of many a civic fight — as Sam says, 
*' Thim are fighters in this municipality." To 
the right is being erected a fine school building 
on which stands boldly out the well-known 
name, '' Strathcona." '' There to the right is 
the site of the 

Old Lime Kiln, 
where during the winter of the Ship Fever 
Scare a poor family lived — the people around 
carrying food to them and leaving it outside 
as though feeding lepers — the family having 
escaped from the pest ship, everybody was 
afraid of them." 

There on that rise to the left is the cabin 
of the Accommodation, the second steamer in 
America, and the first one that ever ran on 
the St. Lawrence. She made her first trip 
from Montreal to Quebec, Nov. 3 and 4, 1809. 
Built by John Molson — whose name is one of 
the great ones of Montreal. This old relic 
stands there rotting away. It was brought up 
from the river, for a little summer house. We 
are now back in Fletcher's field, facing Mount 
Koyal, and go on down Park Avenue, of which 1 
wrote on the over the mountain trip. This is a 
long trip, but one of the most delightful of 
all about Montreal. So many tourists visit a 
cit}^, walk around, hunting for things to look 
at, grow tired and go away with a 
poor opinion of a beautiful city full of 
interest, instead of getting into a carriage and 
seeing it in ease and comfort, and at an actual 



228 'The Wandering: Yankee. 



^ 



saving of money, for in a single day, or two at 
furthest, one can be shown, by a driving guide, 
more than can be found alone in a month, if at 
all. Why, Sam has shown to me more in the 
two days we were out than I had found in two 
months. In fact he took me to places I could 
not have found alone — and why not? The 
cabman knows what to see, and how to see it 
to the best advantage. Yes, by all means 
drive, and save money, time, and besides get 
to see what you came to see — the city's sights. 

If all that the tourist don't see were put into 
book form, he'd have a big library of large vol- 
umes when he gets home. He comes to a city, 
and with the best intentions in the world 
starts in to see it all. He asks all sorts of 
questions, of all sorts of people who don't 
know any more of the real things worth seeing 
than he does, for they usually live in the place, 
and, of course, know nothing about it. He 
spends the day hunting, and comes in at night 
feeling that he has gotten in during the "closed 
season," as he hasn't found much, and what he 
did find he didn't find out what he was looking 
at. He is tired and shortly leaves town, and 
when asked about the city, tells of a few 
churches and big buildings he saw and that's 
the end. His listeners at home come to the 
conclusion that there is little to see, and next 
year seek out sights elsewhere. For this rea- 
son I have hunted out the things really worth 



TJic Wandering Yankef^. , 229 

wliile to see, or places to visit, and am trying 
to tell you of them in a way that you may see 
them most enjoyably. 

I have often amused myself asking tourists: 
" Have you seen this or that sight !" " No, is 
that in Montreal ? — Why, I hadn't heard of it 
before. I must see it !" They are always de- 
sirous of seeing things for that is what they 
came for. This is especially true of one of 
the best trips one can take about Montreal 
and one of the least known among the really 
enjoyable "'• out of towns." I refer to 



THE OTTAWA RIVER TRIP. 

" Have you been up the Ottaw\a ?'' I asked 
one day of a tourist. " No, but we are goiiig 
up, we have heard it is a beautiful city." 

'' I don't mean the Cai)ital, I refer to the river." 

'' What, is there an Ottawa River, too ?" 

'' Say, look here. Stranger, where do you 
hale from ?" 

'' I live in Iowa !" 

'^ Oh, in that case I'll excuse you, as I've 
heard about how well informed your teachers 
arc out there, on Canada. Why, yes, the Ot- 
tawa is a great river, in many places wider 
than the Mississippi, in, front of your State. It 
is, furthermore, so chuck full of beauty that it 
laps over in places, and if you miss seeing it, 
you will go back home having failed to take 
one of the best of Canada's prize trips." 

" Well, now, you've got us interested, how^ 
will we find it ?" 

" Nothing easier, do you know where the 




230 The Wandering Yankee. 

Grand Trunk Station is, at Windsor and St. 
James streets ?" 

'' Why, yes, it's just across from the Queen's 
Hotel, where we are stopping." 

'' Well, at 8 o'clock you take the train on the 
Grand Trunk — go 9 miles out, or up, the St. 
Lawrence to Lachine, and step from the train 
right on to the 

Steamer ''Sovereign," 

and in a very few minutes you're off." 

'^ Look here, my friend — you've done me a 
favor — Come 'ui and have something^' We were 
standing in front of the Windsor. 

I thanked him and told him I never took 
anything — for information. " Come in and 
have something !" I have wondered since 
what he wanted to give me — and almost re- 
gret I hadn't gone, just to see what an Iowa 
man called " something." Now, had hfe been 
from Kentucky, I would have — but, then, no 
matter. 

Imagine my surprise on seeing my Iowa 
friend with a large party next morning at the 
Grand Trunk Station, ready for his Ottawa 
Kiver tri}). 

^' Well, you see, we are all here. I've been 
asking about this trip, and everybody tells me 
the same thing you did — that to miss going up 
to Ottawa by the river would be a big mistake, 
so, as we were through with Montreal, having 
been here a week, we thought to take the river 
up and see what it's like." 

ril go ahead of my stor^^ just a minute while 
the rest of the passengers are getting on, to 



The IVandcriug Yankee. 231 

tell you that the old man, wheu lie and his 
party left us at Carillon, told me in confidence 
that he hadn't seen anything to equal the Ot- 
tawa river for down right fine going since he 
left Iowa, and that he had seen a lot o' sights. 

I forgot to tell you, but for that matter, I've 
not had time, to say that Fitz Maurice, my 
young London artist friend, and the Colonel 
w^ere up the river with me. 

I told you in our Lachine trip of 

Lake St. Louis. 



How that it is a widening of the St. Law- 
rence river or one might say of the two rivers, 
as by the rich yellowish brown of the Ottawa 
water you cannot but think much of the Lake 
belongs to that stream. A w^ord as to this 



Water Color. 

It is the most peculiar freak of nature I've 
ever seen in water. The St. Lawrence is a 
deep, rich greenish blue, while that of the Ot- 
tawa is a brownish yellow. The latter being 
vegetable, and the former, mineral, they are as 
distinct as oil and water in a bottle. You 
may see them a half mile away from the 
steamer, where they join and the line is very 
distinct even at that distance. It is not until 
they have run side and side for miles that they 
begin to mingle, and were it not for the La- 
chine Rapids the distance would be far great- 
er. 

I told vou of 



232 The Wandering Yankee. 

Caug-hnawaga.* 

the Indian village, directly opposite Laclun*?, 
at the south end of the C. P. R. bridge, where 
the railroad divides, the branch going to the 
Adirondacks and the main line to St. John and 
the East. To the right we pass a village, on 
the main land, and an island, both called 

Dorval,t 

On the island Sir George Simpson had his 
home when Governor of the Hudson Bay Com- 
pany. It was here that he entertained the 
Prince of Wales, now 

King Edward. 

dining his visit to America, in 1860. There 
are three of these islands. Sir George once 
claimed them but his family have since lost 
them to the original owners who will, no 
doubt, in turn, lose them in litigation for the 
large family cannot agree to a division. Two 
miles across the Lake, if you will look at the 
map, you will see Chateauguay, on the river of 



*Note. — The Indians of this village are 
noted boatmen. In 1884, 50 of them were taken 
up the Nile past the Cataracts, to lead the ex- 
pedition to relieve Khartoum. 
fNote. — Sir George was knighted for having 
been the first to explore the coast of Hudson's 
Bay. His voyages up the Ottawa were great 
events. He went up in a bark canoe, sixty 
feet long, being rowed by trained Indian boat- 
men. He carried with him a great retinue. 



The IVandcring Yankee. 



the same name, with the hirge delta at the 
mouth. Dorval is the great yachting center of 
this country. Here and near by are located 

The Royal St. Lawrence Yacht Club. 

and the 

Forest and Stream Club. 



It is in this immediate water where is held 
the world-famed 

Sewanhaka Races, 

SO called, but so far, they can hardly be called 
races, since the Canadian boats always lead — - 
I guess it's because they are better acquainted 
with this taffy colored water than are our 
crews. Whatever the reason, they always beat 
us, and the Canadians are justly proud of it as 
we count ourselves fairly successful yachts- 
men, having on occasion won real important 
races down there, near Sandy Hook. St. Louis 
has been known to freeze over when it gets 
very cold down in Arkansaw, and, in that 
event, this lake is the scene of many a mile a 
minute race with ice boats. One man told me 
he was sorry he hadn't known me last winter, 
that he would have taken me ice-boating. 
I'd like to have seen him do it — he wouldn't 
liaA'e done it the second time if I knew it. I 
choose my own means of going a mile a min- 
ute, and an ice boat isn't one of the means. 




Pointe Claire 

is the next A'illage to the right, two miles 
above Dorval. It is so full of interest that 



234 The Wandering Yankee. 

jOM must look it up yourself. It was one of 
the very early villages about Montreal, in the 
latter part of the 17th century. It had its 
fort, and church, and windmill, the three insti- 
tutions which ever went hand in hand in those 
days. 

Beaurepaire, 

is further along a short distance above Pointe 
Claire. It was very early settled by Jean 
Quenet — a trader — in 1678. Jean wasn't satis- 
fied to stay and wait for trade, anil one day 
was caught '^ in the depths of the woods, traf- 
ficking skins with the distant savage tribes," 
and it cost him a penalty of 2,000 livres. Here 
are the summer homes of Mr. McMaster, 
Senator Drummond, R. A. Main waring, and 
many other prominent Montrealers. It is a 
most picturesque suburb. We pass, on either 
side going up, many islands — some so small 
that they would hardly float a name, while 
others are very large, especially so is the one 
whose lower point is directlj' south of Beaure- 
paire, called 

He Perrot, 

possibly six miles long, and one and a half 
wide in places. It was so named from Per- 
rot, a fur trader, in the old days. Its upper 
end is almost opposite 

Ste. Anne de Bellevue, 

of which I have written as a special trip, it be- 
ing too full of interest to note by the way. 
It is here that the Canadian Pacific and the 
Grand Trunk Railway leave the Island of 



The Wandering Yankee. 235 

Montreal, crossing on two iron bridges. They 
cross to He Perrot, thence to the main land, 
below Vaudreuil, which is in sight to the west. 
We pass through 

Two Canals 

at Ste. Anne — one just before reaching there 
is worth a passing word. It has been dyked 
on either side, and the earth, dredged out, 
forming two embankments. It is better de- 
scribed as a long, narrow island, cut in two 
lengthwise. It was done to hold the channel, 
as here the water is quite swift. In front of 
the town is the longer canal, built and locked 
to get around the rapids at this point. Just 
above the town begins the 

Lake of Two Mountains, 

which I told 3'ou about in the Ste. Anne trip. 
After passing out from the ( anal, and a short 
distance above the two bridges, look back and 
you will see the location where was painted 
the beautiful water color picture (which I re- 
produce) by Miss Macfarlane. I was fortunate 
in securing the original — the picture I met.n, 
and prize it very highly. As this lady is one 
of Montreal's rising artists, her work is destin- 
ed to become valuable. 

We see to the right the ruins of 

Fort Senneville, 

and to the left across a narrow part of the 
lake, 4,650 feet, 



236 



TJic IWindcving Yajikcc. 




The Wandering Yankee. 



'):\ 



L'Isle des Pigeons Sauvages, 

or Wild Pigeon Island, where once stood 
a fort, called '^ Fort des Sauvages." In 
the olden time a hospital, church and nun- 
nery stood within the enclosure. It was 
an Indian mission. As we go up again 
we look back upon a beautiful picture. 
Nestling among the trees for miles along 
the Eastern shore of the lake, are the 
magnificent summer homes of the w^ell-knuwu 
Montrealers mentioned in Ste. Anne trip. The 




Fort Des Sauvag-es. 



Fort Senneville. 



enormous house of Mr. R. B. Angus, nearlni; 
completion, may be seen for many miles up 
the lake. It is one of the largest, if not the 
largest dwelling (I might well say palace) in 
the Dominion, near by is the beautiful home of 
Mr. James INIorgan, of the great Colonial 
House on Philip Square, in Montreal, a picture 
of which I give. About eleven miles up the 
lake, we come to 

Oka, 

which is one of the most mferesting points on 
the way to Carillon. It is an old 



238 The Wandering Yankee. 

Indian Mission, 

and was established in 1721, the Indians hav- 
ing been transferred from " Surly Clay '^ or 
Back Kiver, where they were previously sta- 
tioned. Just now there is much excitement 
among the Indians and they are saying lots o' 
things besides their prayers. 

Before reaching Oka and adjoining it, on the 
east, we see far to the right on the mountain 
side a very large building. It is the Monastery 
of 

Les Trappistes, 

who have surrounding it, a great farm which 
they cultivate in a most scientific manner, as 
is seen by their orchards and vineyards, fine 
thoroughbred cattle and horses, and all kinds 
of stock. They are one of the very few orders 
who labor with their hands. Their cheese, 
Port-du-Salut, has a world wide reputation. 
They are also celebrated for their wine and 
cider. The man from Iowa says "If we should 
find in Northern China or Central Africa a 
body of men afraid, to allow women to come 
within speaking distance — and had rules that 
prohibited conversation among themselves, un- 
less the head man gave permission, worked at 
hard labor on one meal a day, and in that one 
meal no meat, eggs, butter or anything else 
that could be sold — ^well, we would be most 
likely to send a young theological student 
amongst them to ask them to change the 
order of things a bit." 

Said the Colonel to the man from Iowa, in 
answer: "Somebody has to lead an austere life 



The Wandering Yankee. 



239 



to make up for the rest of the world. Most of 
whom do very little in the " Austere." 

Oka is worthy a special trip. Many tourists 
get off here from the morning boat, see the 
Church and Seminary, visit the Trappists' 
Monastery, just east of Mount Calvaire, which 
is immediately back from the village, see on 
the summit, the three chapels, built in 1740, 
passing on the way np, four other chapels 
built at intervals along the steep road, and 
many other things of interest, then take the 
boat on its return at 3.25 in the afternoon. A .- 
running description necessarily but touches a <A^ 
few of the many things to be seen. ^ — - 

Como, 

Is just angling up the river or Lake from 
Oka. It is a beautiful summer resort as are 
also Hudson and Hudson Heights on the same a Canadian Beiie. 
side further up, short distances. Como is the 
summer home of Mr. R. W. Shepherd, the gen- 
eral managing director of the Ottawa River 
Navigation Company. 

Just after passing Como the Ottawa nar- 
rows down to a channel of less width than any 
point on the way to the Capital, but makes up 
by its 180 feet depth. It widens out at once 
after passing this point. 




Pointe-aux- Anglais, 

is that long point running out into the lake, 
there to the right. Across to the left again, we 
come to the boat landing for the pretty town 
of 



240 The Wandering Yankee. 

Rigaud, 

on the Riviere-a-la-Graisse. The town itself 
is back from the landing about one mile. Here 
is the 

Rigaud Mountain, 

with its legend. I had often heard of the 
" Devil's Garden," but so far have been able fo 
keep out of it and until now didn't even know 
where it was located. It is right on the top 
plateau of this beautiful mountain, and is 
many acres in extent. I don't know that I 
can better explain it than to say that it is a 
level plateau, lying deeply covered with bould- 
er stones. 

The Legend of the Devil's G-arden. 

This legend will convey a still better concep- 
tion to the minds of the farmer, at least, than 
any description. '^ Once upon a time," as 
legends and fairy tales begin, a giant who was 
also a farmer planted a great field in punip- 
kins, he was a real wicked farmer, and worked 
on Sunday. The seeds grew, the vines spread, 
the yellow blossoms came out in great profu- 
sion, the little pumpkins formed, and by the 
end of the season had so covered all the 
ground that there was scarcely room for the 
l^oor struggling vines. The farmer worked very 
hai'd, laying his immense crop into long 
straight rows so that he might get through 
the field. At last he was ready to gather the 
'' fruit " of his labor. He called all the other 



The Wandering Yankee. 



241 



giants of the Northland to come to his "Pump- 
kin Bee." They came on Sunday, as they, too, 
were wicl^:ed giants. They all went to the 
vast field but what was their consternation on 











IJUBE AND riTZ GET THE STORY AND THE TELLER 



• ^^sV'^iiv^^:;?; 



seeing that every blamed pumpkin had turned 
to a stone, and wasn't fit for pie. The moral 
of this legend is don't fail to see the field of 




242 The Wandering Yankee. 

stone pumpkins on Rigaud Mountain, and 
don't go on Sunday. 

At 12.20 the boat arrived at 

Carillon- 

Now, in pronouncing the name, don't use 
those two '' Is," if you do you'll pass your sta- 
tion sure. Just say " Carion " and let it go at 
that. It's all right for the French to use 
those unused letters, as they can say things so 
quick, then, again, they have lots of time for 
it, but for the slow going, like the Colonel and 
me, they do seem so useless. We always leave 
them out, and, as a result, nobody knows what 
we're talking about. But, then here we are at 
" Carion." 




MOUNT BROULLI NEAR POINT ANGLAIS. 

Now, my dear reader, don't think for a mo- 
ment that because I have seemed to do all the 
talking coming along that there was no one 
else on the boat. Not so. As usual I met 
many people of interest. One young man, in 
particular, who had joined our part}^ — we got 
on to the card exchange, shortly after leaving 
Ste. Anne. Imagine Ay surprise on seeing on 
his: " Mr. Howells Frechette," but, imagine his 
surprise when I drew out a card of introduc- 
tion to him, from his uncle, Wm. Dean 
Howells, the great author. The world is small, 



The Wandering Yankee. 



243 



indeed. I had not hoped to meet him until I 
reached Ottawa — his home. 

^"Carillon" means chime of bells, as here was 
one of the first chimes in the country. The 
steamer '' Sovereign " does not go any furthoT 
up the river, owing to the immense rapids, just 
above the town. A great dam has been 
built across the river, and in the middle of it is 
a chute, through which the rafts of timber are 
run, having first been broken up into sections 
which are again brought together below the 
rapids and fowled down to Lachine and thence 
to Montreal and Quebec. 

There is a canal passing up along the north 
side of the river, but it is not much used. 
Big Track and Little Road. 

Running between Carillon and Grenville, 
further up the river, is the widest track, and 
one of the shortest railroads on the Continent. 
It is the old broad-guage five-feet and six 
inches wide and only 13 miles long. It is used 
exclusively and owned by the Ottawa River 
Navigation Company for carrying passengers 
past the many rapids between the two points. 
It's a \' funny " little road and its train is pull- 
ed by a locomotive that would scare a horse. I 
told Fitz to draw it to let you see the mate of 
the one that drew the Prince of Wales in 18G0 
when he went up to Ottawa over this river, 
and that little road.* 

The steamer by which he and his party went 
was called for him '^ Prince of Wales." He 




*Note. — Fitz forgot, so you'll have to draw 
it yourself. It's not hard, though, as it's very 
light. 



244 The Wandering Yankee. 

went out from Montreal to Ste. Anne by train, 
then they got aboard, came to Carillon — thence 
to Grenville, where another steamer met them 
and they went on to the Capital. The fine 
steamer " Empress " now meets the train at 
Grenville. We went up no further than Caril- 
lon as we wished to return the same day. 
Young Mr. Frechette who has passed up and 
down the river many times said that the 
scenery' further on is much more beautiful, 
especially where the Laurentian Mountains 
come in near view^ of the river. Carillon is an- 
other of the many summer resorts along the 
picturesque Ottawa. St. Andrews is only a 
short drive from Carillon. I have, as 
usual, given but a running sketch. Some- 
how to do justice to Canada's beauty I'd 
have to write a volume on each subject, and, 
often then, but barely touch the subject, for 
there is no place in America w4iere there is so 
much of real good old time material with a 
setting of the picturesque as can be found up 
here in the Province of Quebec. 

On the way back the scenery looked so dif- 
ferent that one could almost have said it was 
another river. I had never before noted such 
a change in the two ways of viewing a river. 

Fitz Draws Pictures. 

Fitz Maurice was in his element. He was 
ever finding subjects for his pencil. If yvm 
should be wise and take the Ottawa River trip 
you will see on the way faces you will instant- 
ly recognize. When you get on board, some of 
the faces will pass before you. At Ste. Anne, 



The lVandcri}ig Yajikcc. 



245 



'Banana Mary.' 



will look as 3^011 see her here, for they say she 
never changes and she seldom misses a boat. 

In the case of the Ottawa each view seemed 
the more beautiful. A description does not 
always describe. In this instance you must 
see to appreciate all of the beauty of the two 
ways. 

" Eube," said the Colonel as we sat talkin^^ 
of the beauties of the country, while Fitz was 
off sketching the face of the one that had jnst 
come aboard, '' the Ottawa is a great river. It |f ^£ 
was the original waterw^ay to the northwest, 
and used long before the St. Lawrence. You 
" didn't know that '? Oh, yes, long before and 
in less than 25 years will be used again, but in 
a far vaster way." 

At Lachine, on our return, a large number of 
people were waiting at the wharf to go 
aboard the '^ Sovereign," for the 

Shooting of the Rapids. 

having come out from the city on the Grand 
Trunk Railway. There was the pretty south- 
ern girl, (witii the " Eout " and " Abeout "— 
— '' Out " and " About " — tw^o words she will 
never disguise and, I trust, she never can, for 
the way she says them always carries me back 
to one of the most delightful visits of my life, 
in Dixie. This one, with her father, was from 
North " Carleena,") the tourist from Ken- 
tucky, and, to my surprise, there was 
Mears Kemp, of the great New York 




246 



The Wandering Yankee. 



firm of Lanman and Kemp, with that 
M. A. A. A. entertainer, Bob Aitken, who 
as usual, was showing the beauties of Mont- 
real and surroundings to a pleased customer 
of his firm. I could overhear Mears telling 
Bob about just having tried to get Big John 
Canadian, the Caughnawaga pilot, to take 
him through the Rapids in a row boat, and 
how that it had all been arranged even up to 




The Colonel says: " Don't tell how scared 
we were that day. ' 



the tying of ropes about the skiff in such a 
way as that should it upset, they could catch 
the ropes and be pulled through alive. All 
was arranged when Big John, stopped short 
and said: ''But not now, water heap too big !" 
and, then, Kemp stopped his recital. That's 
all I could hear except a remark of Bob's 
which near cost him a trip through the Rapids 
without even a rope. Just as Kemp stopped, 



The Wandering Yankee. 



247 



Bob remarked : " Well, Mear hopes after 
all !"* 

When all were aboard we continued our way 
down the river. The whole upper deck for- 
ward was crowded with the new comers, all 
eager for the exciting trip through the Rapids. 

^' I wonder what that is !" 

" I wonder if there is anything in sight that 
is historical !" 

" Oh, look !" and a hundred other exclama- 
tions, proving that all were taking their first 
" shoot." 

The North " Caroleenians " were just behind 
us, and I could not forego the pleasure of act- 
ing as guide to them. Of course, pointing all 
remarks to the genial head of the family, whom 
I addressed as ''Colonel," until he told me that 
although he was a Southerner he had no mili- 
tary title, and that he was nothing but a plain 
citizen with " M.D." attachments. 

" Oh, yes, there is no direction in which you 
may look, no point in sight but what has its 
history, dating back to the early days of the 
17th century-." 

I began, feeling myself a competent guide 
even though it was my first trip down the 
rapids. I knew^ how^ever, from much research, 
of maps, history and having "done" Lachine — 




*Note. — Mears Kemp had had his own way 
too long to allow a little thing like an Indian's 
fear to stand in his way. He and Bob took 
the trip, and Big John guided the boat, the 
" inducement " being large enough to make 
him forget his fears. 




248 The IVandcriiig Ymikcc. 

almost every point of interest. We went so 
fast that I had to talk very rapidly. 
^' Where was the 

Lachine Massacre? 

asked the Doctor. 

" Almost that whole line along the water- s 
edge, where now the town straggles on toward 
the bridge before us. Look back, far across 
the lake to that point (indicating where the 
Chateauguay River enters the lake) where the 
1,500 Iroquois started across, on the night of 
Aug. 4, 1689. They silently landed above the 
settlement, and as the night was very stormy, 
the garrison did not hear them. Every dwell- 
ing was surrounded and at a given signal the 
massacre began. The terrible result all know." 

'^ The horrid savages !" exclaimed the pretty 
daughter. 

'' No, not horrid. Their provocation would 
have made a civilized people do the same," 
said I. 

'' Why, I never read that in history I" she 
said. 

'' No, most historians have left out poor Lo's 
side of it." 

''There to the right, near the bridge, is 
Caughnawaga — the village of the praying In- 
dians. See, to the left, through the trees, is 
the Old Windmill. There's the great bridge of 
the Canadian Pacific Railway. That building 
to the left, just beyond the bridge, is the 
Monastery and College of the Oblats Fathers." 
We did not see anything of note until we came 
in sight of the two intakes of the Montreal 



The Wandering Yankee. 249 

Water Works, just to the west of which I ask- 
ed : "Do you see that stone fence in front of 
the house where the hill runs down to the 
level through those beautiful elm trees ?" 

'' Yes, but why do you speak of a fence ?" 

" Well, that fence is the celebrated Old La- 
Salle homestead — all that is left of it, save 
those ruins just at the foot of the hill." 

" What !" exclaimed the Doctor, " you don't 
mean that any one would take a relic so histo- 
rical and use it for a fence ?" 

" Oh, yes, Doctor, you know if one chance to 
get possession of a relic, no matter how sacred 
it should be, one may, by reason of possession, 
turn it into anything one chooses to turn it 
into." 

"I don't mean that exactly, I could not ima- 
gine any one having so little sentiment as to 
do it," and the kind old Doctor seemed to re- 
ally feel he had sustained a personal injury. 
The Southerner is full of sentiment. This is 
the reason of the sweet character of that 
people. 

" I notice two ' intakes ' as you call them, 
those canal-like waterways over there to the 
left crossed by those bridges. Why, two ?" 

" One you will notice, is much larger than 
the other, w^ell, the smaller was built first and 
would get clogged with ice, the other was 
made much wider to prevent this. The two 
come together a short distance beyond the 
bridges. 

" See that long building to the left, further 
on below the ' intakes,' running far out into 
the rapids, that is the great power house for 
the Montreal or Lachine Electric Works, 



250 



The IVandcrinsi Yankee. 



which lights Montreal. But see we are now 
coming to the 

Rapids, 
which you will notice is divided by those two 
islands. The first and smaller is 

The Devil's Island, 

the larger one ahead is 

He St. Paul, 

or Heron's Island— watch how the boat be- 
gins to toss and sway — and the waters whirl 




STl!. 



SOVEREIGX SIIOOTINC; THE KAl'IDS. 



into foam — and" — but here I stopped for the 
'' Oh's " and the " Looks " and the excitement 
around stopped all full sentences. Every- 
body w^as standing up — some on chairs to get 
a better view, holding on the while to the one 
nearest to keep from being dislodged from 
the higher view point. 

" Oh, papa — what if we'd hit a rock, we'd be 
clear thrown eoiit f- But Ahcoiit this time we 
had gotten through the worst of the tossing; 



The JJ^andcriiiQ- Yaiiki 



so swiftly had we been swept along by the 
rushing waters — but the long swells kept the 
boat rolling for quite a distance down. 

" I w^onder how much fall the river has 
here ?" asked the Doctor. 

" 46 feet between Lachine and the city and 
most of it at the Rapids " said I. 

" Papa did you see that poor little tree 
right eout in the middle of the stream, on 
that wee island, hardly big enough to hold 
it r 

We had all noticed and remarked it as we 
passed. 

" How long have steamboats been running 
the rapids ?" asked the Dr. 

^' The ' Ontario,' afterwards called the ' Lord 
Sydenham,' w^as the first. It was then in 
1840." 

" Does the Rapids ever freeze over ?" 

Just here I couldn't resist telling the Doctor 
and his party a little incident 

On the Colonel. 

How that last winter he said one day : " Rube, 
I see by the ^Star' that the Lachine Rapids are 
frozen over, ' the first time since 1857.' Now 
we've got to see that — and w^e'll go out to- 
morrow." I was quite as anxious to see it as 
the Colonel, so we went, but were surprised to 
find the Rapids quite clear of ice. 

^' Colonel," said I " are you sure that these 
were the Rapids you read about ?" 

'' Oh, yes," said he, drawing from his pocket 
the " Star " of the day before — " here is the 
item." 

I looked at it and there was the item, sure 



252 



TJie Wandering Yanhcc. 



enough. "The Lachine Rapids are frozen over, 
the first time since 1857." I looked at the date 
of the paper, it was 1902, then at the column 
where was the item, and quietly pointed to the 
heading : " Things that happened thirty years 
ago." — Well, the Colonel was good enough to 
pay the expenses of the trip and I forgave 
him." 

We are now in the bay. " See that town 
to the right ? That is 

Laprairie, 

from which to St. Johns, 36 miles south of 
east, ran the first railroad in Canada." 
" How wide is the river here ?" 







- 


i^ 


■■•'^' 


^'^"rfJJ^^ 


S^^ ^-y^' 




t^^^^ 


:mM 



THE OLD VICTORIA BRIDGE. 



" A little over four miles, possibly four and 
a half. It narrows down from Laprairie to 
Longueuil, nine miles below where it begins 
again to widen as it flows past Maisonneuve, 
Longueuil, Longue Pointe, Pointe-aux-Trem- 
bles and the end of the island of Montreal 
and Boucherville and Varennes, on the right 
bank. That long island to the left, there in 
front, is 



The lVandcri)ig Yankee. 



He St. Paul, 

or Nuns' Island. 

^' Now we are coming to the great 

Victoria Bridge, 

at one time a wonder of the w^orld — being 
when built the longest in the world. It was 
erected by James Hodges from designs of 
Alexander M. Koss and Robert Stephenson. 
It was opened in 18G0 by the Prince of Wales 
now King Edward Seventh. I refer to the 




NEW VICTORIA BRIDGE. 



first bridge, this one was designed by the great 
architect, Richard A. Waite, of Buffalo, New 
York. The same who designed the finest office 
building in Canada — the offices of the Grand 
Trunk, on McGill street. This bridge has but 
recently been finished. 

''That village at the south end of the bridge 
is* St. Lambert." 

" What railroad crosses it ?" 

" The Grand Trunk and the Delaware and 



254 . TJic Wandcriuii Yankee 



^ 



Hudson, but it was built for and is owned by 
the former." 

'^ See that low lying island to the right ? 
That is 

Moffatt's Island, 

where the stone was quarried for the original 
city." 

'' That island you see ahead is 

St. Helen's Island, 

a recreation ground for the city — but, here, 
we are coming in to Montreal just in time 
ladies to take the 

Richelieu and Ontario, 

boat for Quebec." The ladies of the party 
went on to the Old Capital, w^hile the Doctor 
remained in Montreal. Again " the world is 
small." The Doctor proved to be a relative 
of friends of the writer. Friends met in " Ole 
Virginia," in the eighties. This is one of the 
joys of travel — the coincidental meetings. 

A Canadian Leonidas 

When at Carillon one instinctively thinks 
of Adam Daulac — or Dollard des Ormeaux 
and his brave companions who fell defending 
Ville-Marie. 

The Iroquois had threatened to exterminate 
all in the new settlement on the Island of 
the Mountain. Dollard, a newly arrived 
French officer, very young — in his early twen- 
ties — collected a band of sixteen colonists, 



The IVaiidcriiig Yankee. 255 

and with a number of Algonquins and Huron 
Indians (all of whom deserted, but four Al- 
gonquins and the celebrated young Huron 
chief Anahotaha) and rowed up the Ottawa to 
a point where now is Carillon.* Here was a 
rude palisaded fort, which they entered, having 
strengthened it as best they could, before the 
Indians by the hundreds came pouring down 
upon them. 

For ten days and nights they fought, but 
were finally overcome by thirst and terrible 
hardships and in a concentrated rush by the 
Iroquois the fort was taken. Not a soul sur- 
vived — but their heroic fight had saved Yille- 
Marie. As the Indians said long after : '* If 
seventeen boys could fight like that, what 
would a town full of men do ?" In reading of 
brave Daulac — or Bollard — I was moved to 
write of him and his band in this crude heroic. 
I would that a monument might be reared to 
him and them. All Canada would respond, 
for the embryo of All Canada was saved by 
this noble boy and his comrades. Let it be 
reared by school children. A few pennies from 
each would not only mark the spot, but in- 
spire in them a heroic patriotism that would 
resound through all time, as has the deed of 
Leonidas and his noble three hundred. Chil- 
dren of Canada build hereon a monument and 
rename the spot 



*:N^ote.— Rev. Father Brophy, J. Hugh Ross and 
other authorities give this as the site where 
the defense was made. This is a reasonable 
conclusion since the rapids, beginning at Ca- 
rillon, would not permit of small boats going 
further up the river. 



256 TJic Wandering Yankee. 



THERMOPYLAE. 



Around tliy rugged walls, oli grey Ther- 
mopylae, 
There cluster memories of the long ago, 
When at thy feet there fell brave Sons of 

Greece, 
Setting the mark far up thy scarrM heights, 
That all the world might see there carved the 

deed. 
Brave Sons of Greece, thy death hath been 

the inspiration 
— The mark for many a hero born to do. 
Horatius saw thy deed and bravely stood 
The lone defender of the bridge at Rome; 
The Swiss who took unto his breast the spears 
And saved his native land from Monarch's 

heel, 
Had seen thy deed and nerved his soul to 

dare ; 
The noble band in Crimea's fearful strife 
Swept down the glen 'mid cannons, awful 

roar, 
Swept down the glen, but ne'er returned 

again, 
AYere by thy heroic deed so nobly done 
Moved on their course, where death but mark- 
ed the way. 

Leonidas, the Greecian brave, had fought, 
Where but to win was victory ill-gained. 
Yet strife of battle nerved his arm to do. 
And though he lost, still victory had won. 
— Yictory he won for ages yet unborn, 
Who saw in him what man in war may do. 

Nor in the lands beyond the rolling sea, 
Were all the deeds of valor done by man, 



The Wandering Yankee. 257 

In far off, Northland, where Outais' waters 

flow, 
There is a spot unmarked By carved stone, 
Where deed of worth so vast in import 

fraught. 
That well might bear the name Thermopylea. 

Here where the Long Soo's waters swiftly 

flow. 
Brave Daulae, with his undaunted band. 
Met foes more fierce than Persia's seried host. 
And meeting, fought as men ne'er fought be- 
fore. 
Days followed night's in each successive turn. 
Days followed nights till nights would come 
no more. 



The inspiration, battle-born, of Greek to 
stand. 

Filled not the hearts of this intrepid band. 

The long night's vigils kept, where dying com- 
rades lay, 

Sapped all the heart and chilled their hopes 
away. 

The brave Ormeausian youth to save a city 
died. 

He fought for love, for love he fought and 
died. 

Honour to him who ne'er for honour craved. 
Honour to them whose death a people saved. 
Bear high the stone and mark thereon the 

name — 
The name of " Dollard " so rich, deserving 

fame. 



258 The Wandering Yankee. 

Honour to them who with brave Dollard fell, 
Carve deep their names, their names to ages 

tell— 
Algonquins bold and brave lone Huron, too, 
Whilst others fled they stood with Daulac 

true. 

The rush of time shall quickly melt away — 
Years seem as moments, ages but a day. 
None live for time, save those who deeds have 

done, 
— Save those who've fought, and in the battle 

won. 
Heroic Dollard and his brave comrades fell, 
But falling won, as fleeting time shall tell. 

Tell to the world as time of Greek hath told, 
Tell of his deed — a deed the world shall hold. 
Brave youth, thy life was all too short on 

earth, 
But dying, thou hast left — great deed of 

worth. 




The Wandering Yankee. 259 



Su, Hnnf tit JSdUbnu, 



This charming suburb is either at Bout de 
I'Isle, or Bout de I'Isle is at this charming sub- 
urb. I have not quite determined and forgot 
to ask, but I thinlv either is correct as Ste. 
Aune is the end of tlie Island and so is '^ Bout 
de I'Isle." 

I would like to translate that for you, but 
translation often mars. Now, when I tell you 
the real sound of these French words, run to- 
gether as they usually run words together up 
here when they are in a hurry to go to dinner, 
you must not think there is any significance in 
them, or that there is anything apropos when 
applied to any part of the Island of Montreal, 
for there is not, even though I've heard a great 
many say there was, but you know " a great 
many " say many things before prayer time. 
But then as to those French words. Every 
time I hear them said, I think the speaker is 



"Boodle He." 

and my mind naturally calls up the wraith of 
poor old Jakey Sharp, who only ran a small 
shop around the corner when compared to the 
business done on the block, these days. 

But, then, as to Ste. Anne, no tourist or 
casual visitor should come to Montreal with- 



260 The Wandering Yankee. 

out spending here a day at least and weeks if 
possible, for in a radius of a very few miles 
there is more of interest than you can find in 
any spot about the city. You know how it is, 
you often get circulars from some interested 
landlord, which tell you of his w^onderful place 
— the only " wonder " is that he could get so 
far from the facts, as you find, on going, that 
he has done. I don't pay any attention to the 
circulars. I find out from those who had been 
there, or go, see for myself. This is why when 
that live-up-to-date landlord, Mr. Emery La- 
londe, sent me a circular about Ste. Anne in 
general, and the Clarendon Hotel in particular, 
I simply threw it aside, but when I asked an ac- 
quaintance about the place, he said with much 
emphasis : " ^ Ste. Anne de Bellevue ? ' why 
bless you man, that is our greatest suburb and 
if you go aw^ay from Montreal without seeing 
it you will make a mistake." That settled it 
— I went down the very next day. 

I feel now, in speaking of Ste. Anne, like the 
celebrated gentleman I met at " Surley Clay," 
that I could write a 600-page book on this old 
spot, and yet have the courtesy to tell you of it 
even though you wouldn't have the patience to 
read my work, for I would want you to know 
of the beauty of Bout de I'lsle. 

But to the practical, Ste. Anne de Bellevue 
is twenty miles from the Windsor Station. 
You pass in reaching it the very garden of the 
Island. The wise are securing the lands all 
along the way, for ere long they will be of very 
great value. I was fortunate in meeting a 
friend at the station, J. B. Abbott, the son of 



The Wandering Yankee. 261 

the late Sir John Abbott, who once owned the 
magnificent home, Boisbriant, now the country 
seat of E. S. Clouston, the manager of the 
Montreal Bank. To Mr. Abbot's kindness I am 
indebted for a most delightful afternoon. He 
drove me out a fine roadway, leading along 
the Lake of Two Mountains, which begins 
not far up the Ottawa river and runs 
to the right toward Riviere des Prairies 
or Back River in one direction and to the west 
up the Ottaw^a and around Oka point, five or 
six miles away in the other. 

All along the eastern border of the lake and 
between the road on which we were passing 
are seen many homes of Montreal's best citi- 
zens. Here, and extending up three miles 
along lake and river are the country places of 
such well-known men as E. S. Clouston, Sena- 
tor L. J. Forget, R. B. Angus, James Morgan, 
James A. Oillespie, Charles Meredith, R. Fred. 
Paterson, Forbes Angus, J. B. Allan, J. B. 
Abbott, A. E.- Abbott, John J. Grant, R. T. 
Heneker, M. J. F. Quinn, K.C. 

We reach the cosey home of Mr. Abbott, one 
and a half miles from the station. It sits 
high to the right back from the road overlook- 
ing the country for many miles. Directly op- 
posite and on a part of the original grant to 

Baisbriant, 

long the country seat of Sir John Abbott, is, 
the park-like home of Mr. E. S. Clous- 
ton. I have rarely seen more beautiful 



262 The Wandering Yankee. 

grounds, A'aried by rolling and level stretches. 
It extends from the main road to the 
east and is bordered on the west by the 
aforementioned Lake of Two Mountains. The 
grass lawns are like velvet, and as you go 
down the well kept drive-way you catch ever 
and anon glimpses through the trees, of the 
lake beyond. It is on this property where are 
still seen the ruins of 

Fort Senneville, 

built a short while before 1700. The outlines 
are well marked and, in some places the walls 
are almost the original height (12 feet). It was 
66 feet square facing directly south. At the 
southern side once stood a house about 20 feet 
wide, one and a half stories, and extending the 
full width across. At each of the four corners 
and outside, but adjoining, was a tower or 
lookout. Mr. Clouston has the grass within 
the old walls kept smoothly cut and is doing 
all that is possible to keep the walls in their 
present shape. 

The Windmill, 

on the hill behind his house, he has roofed over, 
making a fine observatory, while the inside he 
has couA'erted into a museum of Indian relics. 
If the landmarks of New France were in the 
hands of such men of sentiment as Mr. Clous- 
ton, they would long remain to connect the 
then with the now. 

I cannot go into detail of the beauties of 
this northern road, but had to go back to the 



The JVandcring Yankee. 263 

village, the principal street of which skirts the 
Ottawa, passing under the two railroad bridges 
down through the old town. We pass on the 
way to the Clarendon Hotel the 

The House of Tom Moore, 

or, rather, where he stopped when here in 
1804. It is of stone, and the walls are very 
thick, you find the door open, step inside, as no 
one is in sight, and feel a thrill of joy to think 
you had entered the door through which had 
passed one jo\x had worshipped since child- 
hood. You knock and two women answer with 
blank smiles : " Is this the house where the 
great Irish poet Tom Moore once lived ?" I 
ask. '' Sapon !"• 

'' Xo, no, — it can't be, I was told that this 
was the Moore house, — it coudn't have been 
Mr. Sapon ! Moore — Tom Moore— Thomas 
Moore, poet, boat song poet." I was getting 
desperate. It was no use — no use at all she 
still maintained that it was '^ Sapon's " house. 
Ah, I'll try again a new tack. I'll try dates, so 
I ask : " Who was the great poet who resided 
in this dwelling in the year A. D. 1804 ?" 

" Sapon ! Sapon !! " with much emphasis. 

" Ah, my dear ladies, I beg youh pahdon, I 
see I was mistaken, but tell me, pray, if 
Sapon lived here then, who lives here now V^ 

A light seemed to flash upon the other 
woman and she said : 

" We, we," I was sure then that I had select- 
ed the wrong house, and went on to the Cla- 
rendon, and told Lalonde all about my mi'j- 
take but was surprised to have him sa^^ that I 



264 The Wandering Yankee. 



had gone to the right house, " Why," said I 
" the women said, " Sapon," lived there in 
1804." He only smiled as he led the way in to 
dinner. 

I do so often get the wrong information up 
here. It's so discouraging when I try so hard 
to give you all the facts. 

I was right. It was the Moore House, and 
I'm going to give you the picture so that you 
will know it, and not be driven off by any of 
the descendants of Old Man Sapon, who may 
claim to be residing there. I'm also going to 
give you the famous boat song, composed by 
Moore during his residence in Ste. Anne. He 
wrote the ^' Woodpecker " while staying at La- 
chine, shortly after. It is a rare joy to even 
look upon the objects once looked upon by 
that sweet poet. '' Here's a health to thee, 
Tom Moore !" 

This is but a hurried glance, and I have told 
but few of the many things to be seen in this 
beautiful resort which each year is becoming 
more and more known to our people. I cannot 
but wish that it were better known. For the 
benefit of those who are looking for a charm- 
ing place to spend a few weeks, I would say 
that board there is so very reasonable that 
one might pay one's fare from New York and 
save money, over some of our dull seashores 
near the city. I'm not " booming " Ste. Anne, 
but doing a favor to my countrymen, in saying 
what I do. It is the Thousand Islands or the 
Adirondacks without the expense. 



ENVIRONS OF STE. ANNE DE BELLEVUE AT TIME 
TOM MOORE WAS THERE, 

Kafius. 





The Moore House. 




Fort Sennkvillk 



The Wandcrino; Yankee. 265 



Cartictbillc. 



Cartierville had uotliing of interest to see, 
but it had the appearance of being- a 
historic town. There are not many houses 
but some of them loolv lilce almost anything 
might have happened in and about them. I 
went into a hotel, asked of the landlord if 
there was anything historic lying round town. 
'' Dunno — I no speaka ze Angla — my wife 
speaka. I call ze rife." He called " ze vife,'' 
who was but little better. '^ Has anything of 
historic interest ever occurred in Cartier- 
ville?" I asked. ^' What tam she's happen, dis 
veekf " No, no, was there ever, ivar — battle — 
fight, anything, heref ''Oh, I zee, I zee^ 
' fight' — wee, wee. Zare vaz ze atful fight les 
veek. My man got ze bottle of ze beer broke 
over ze hed; but zee man who brake ze bottle 
A'az zent to ze hospital — you go zee ze man, he 
dels you ze histories of ze Cartierville fite ! " 

I finally found J. D. St. Pierre, the lumber 
dealer and live business man of the town. He 
was very kind. He showed me the old stone 
house, on the pnncipal corner of the town, 
where the Imperial officers were quartered in 
1837. The troops crossed on the old wooden 
bridge over to Bord a Plouffe, at the other end 
of the bridge, just across the river, from which 
point they marched up to St. Eustache, eight 
miles north, where occurred one of the battles 
of '37. 

Further up the Back River, but near, begin 
the magnificent summer homes of some of 

The Inner Circle 
of Montrear^ ^* 400." Thev extend all along 



266 TJic Wander in i( Yankee. 



and facing the river, which is very picturesque 
at this point. Here are Hugh Paton, James C. 
King, Thos. Sonne, R.A.B. Hart, H. B. McDou- 
gall, B. McLennan, the Ogilvies, J. Gillespie, 
Angus R. Hooper, Dr. Charles McEachran, Dr. 
Jas. Bell, and T. D. Bell. 

Rube Meets a Party of Nuns and Children. 

Somehow I often fall into pleasures unex- 
pectedl}'. One day, while passing St. Laurent 
the car stopped at a street, near a large 
school and convent, and a great church, 
to the right only a short distance back 
of the mountain. A number of nuns, with 
perhaps fifty little girls, from the school, 
quickly filled the car. I was soon in my ele- 
ment, talking with the children. They were 
remarkably bright, and filled full of the picnic 
they were going to have down there at Back 
River. The Nuns were very kind to them, and 
in no way tried to curb their innocent pleasure. 
They talked to me freely, for children quickly 
know who loves them. As we flew along, I got 
from many of them sweet little life stories. 
One poor little girl had lost a hand, and told 
me how that a bad boy had pushed her down 
and a passing car had run over it, and yet she 
was the happiest of the lot. I could not but 
note the sweet, gentle care the Nuns showed 
towards them. I have never seen those chil- 
dren since; but the real joy of that short while 
with them is a sweet memory. 

Three Grocery Stores and a Post Office. 

It was not worth the time, but we went out 
an^^how in hopes that we might find it so. I 



The J['(7//(/rr//a'' Yatikcc. 26' 



refer to a place called " Back River," because 
that is not its name, which is spelled '' Saiilt- 
au-Recollet," and pronounced " Sur-ek-Clay," 
and sounds like '' Surley Clay," if you say it 
too quick. I was reminded that day that it 
is often a surprise to go hunting about 
for things worth seeing, to meet men 
with no sentiment whatever. We asked of a 
man standing at the station, after leaving the 
car: "Is there anything of interest to see in 
this town?" " Oh, yes, this is quite a place. It 
has three grocery stores and a post-office," 
which reminds me that when we came to the 
post-oftice I asked the postmaster, who sat 
reading a paper in front of his door, " What 
church is that across the street?" ''Dat? 
(pointing) why, dat iz ours I" We thanked him 
for the information and went over to see it. It 
is so like the great St. Anne de Beaupre, on 
the St. Lawrence below Quebec, that it might 
have been modelled after it. This one was built 
in 1851. We met a very large pompous and im- 
portant-looking clerical man in the yard, of 
vv hom we made inquiry as to the things of inter- 
est to be found. He said it was an historic old 
town, and that he had written a 600 page book 
about it, and asked if I had read the book. I 
had to admit that I had not, at which he turned 
and left us. I tried to explain that I would 
begin at once to learn French, that I might be 
able to read his book, but he walked on. I had 
not read it and that was off'ence enough. 
As we were coming away, we saw a 
doctor's sign, and stopped to find Dr. 
M. Pelletier. Now see how much of the out-of- 
the ordinary one may run across by not being 



268 The ] Winder ill cr Yankee. 



afraid to talk to any man one may wish to 
approach. We learned that this country doctor 
came of a line of physicians running back to 
1776, when the first one came oyer from France. 
Never since that time has there been a break in 
this family. There has been in each genera- 
tion a doctor. " See that tree- ?" asked the 
Doctor, pointing to a large cottonwood, stand- 
ing in the yard of his house, " Well that was 
planted by my grandfather in 1801. One of us 
has liyed here eyer since." 



ALBERT EDWARD (PRINCE OF WALES.) 

As I go about the city or on my excursions 
into the country, I am yery often reminded of 
" when the Prince was here." The " Prince " 
eyer means the present King, w^ho, as I write 
Hes uncrowned by hand of man, but in the 
hearts of his loyal subjects no crowned king 
was eyer more loyed than he. To-day, (June 
20, 1902) was set apart for his coronation. 
The whole world had waited that great eyent 
as no eyent in history had eyer been awaited. 
The British Empire is at peace; the Boer War 
has recently been settled and terms granted 
that neyer before were granted to a defeated 
people, changing enemies into loyal subjects; 
the Empire by reason of that war has been 
cemented into a bond of more than that of 
political union — that of heart friendship; 
prosperity reigns throughout the Mother 
Country and her Proyinces; and neyer before 
was coronation held under skies so propicious 
as that of to-day promised, but the hand that 
rules mightier Empires willed otherwise, and. 



TJic jrauihriiig Yankee. 



209 



to-day, a stricken people watch with bated 
breath for news from the sick chamber of 
their loved King. 

The manifested sympathy of the people of 
Canada when our beloved McKinley lay 
stricken unto death, w^as so heartfelt that it 
proved that w^e are but one people, and that 
in affection no lines divide us, and now that 
their ruler's life hangs in the balance, I feel a 
deep sympathy that words cannot express — a 




The Prince— KstJO. 

sympathy never before felt for the ruler of 
another nation. Yea, we are but one in 
heart, though lines political separate us. 

When King was Prince. 

In the summer of 1800, when Prince Ed- 
ward was a boy of 19, he visited America. He 
left England July 9th, and reached St. John, 
N.B., on the 28rd of that month. His way 
from there to Montreal, wiiich he reached on 
Saturdav, August 2r)th, was one series of 



270 The Wandering Yankee. 

grand ovations, but how one so young could 
have kept health and spirits under the fire of 
addresses, in season and out, that he had to 
endure is to me the most remarkable feature 
of that long tour — but, then, as the ones who 
made the addresses, in many cases never did 
anything else of note, during their lives, the 
Prince did well to allow that one honor. 

I do not mean to rewrite his tour, but 
casually mention instances here and there of 
his stay in Montreal. 

He occupied, during his stay, the house of 
Hon. John Kose, the Commissioner of Public 
Works. This house is now the home of Mrs. 
W. W. Ogilvie, and is situated at the head of 
Simpson street, extending through to Eed- 
path. It was then as now a beautiful park- 
like home, at the foot of the mountain. The 
vast ball room built expressly for the occa- 
sion, was situated in the block between Peel 
and Stanley streets, and running from St. 
Catherine to Sherbrooke. The main entrance 
was where Burnsides now runs through— this 
part of the city being then in the country. 
The ball room covered 82,000 square feet — 
nearly two acres of ground. 

I wonder if any of the ladies are living in 
Montreal, now, who were, on that occasion, 
honored by the Prince. Here are the names 
of those with whom he danced : " Miss De- 
lisle, Miss Servante, Lady Milne, Miss Napier, 
Mrs. King, Miss E. Smith, Miss Tyne, IMrs. F. 
Brown, Miss Leach, Miss Fisher, of Halifax; 
IMiss Sicotte, Miss De Kocheblave, Mrs. C. 
Freer, Miss Laura Johnson, Miss Betson, 
Miss Napier, (a second time) Miss King, ^Mrs. 



The JVandcring Yankee. 271 

Forsytb, Miss Sophia Stewart and the Hon. 
Mrs. J. S. Macdonald. 
He opened the 

Crystal Palace 
and the great 

Victoria Bridg-e, 

on the same day he arrived, Saturday, Aug. 
25th, 1860— the Palace in the forenoon and 
the Bridge in tlie afternoon. 

I have already spoken of his visit to Sir 
George Simpson, on the Island of Dorval, in 
Lake St. Louis, above Lachine, and of his 
journey up the Ottawa River. 

^Vherever he went he carried with him as 
the boy the same genial air that has marked 
his character up through life to the throne. 

There is always a charm about 

The Boy Life of Great Men. 

'• When he was boy," often begins an anec- 
dote of much interest. I met one day a man 
in Dominion Square selling papers. I en- 
gaged him in conversation and found he was 
the son of a great father— great in his line. 
He built Brock's Monument— at Queenston, 
Ontario; he also built the two wings of the 
Tarliament Buildings at Ottawa— had charge 
of the construction ; when comparatively 
young he remodelled Buckingham Palace, and 
late in life constructed the bridge at Quincy, 
111., across the Mississippi River, where he 
met his death. "While he was at work on 
Buckingham Palace," said this son of his 



272 



TJu 



IVandcring Yankee. 



father, ^^ I used often to go down of a morn- 
ing with him. I was then about six or seven 
years old. One morning I carried with me a 
prettily dressed doll. When we reached the 
Palace, Prince Albert Consort was there, 
looking at the work when we came. Little 
Prince Edward was with him. 




Prince Wanted the Doll. 

Father and Prince Albert went into the 
building, leaving Edward and me together. 
We were nearly the same age, I being a few 
months the elder. The minute we were alone, 
and the Prince saw my doll he made one 
leach for it, I hung on — as I w^as much at- 
> tached to it, or had been till he got hold of it. 
I was no match for him, and made up for 
\\eakness in arm by strength of lungs. 
Father and the Prince Consort came running 
out, thinking the front wall had fallen on me, 
b\ the noise I was making, and asked the 
cause of it all ! 'He's got my pretty doll — 
and won't give it to me,' said I, between 
howls. The Prince who was one of the love- 
liest characters I ever saw% said to me, sooth- 
' ' ingly ' Come, my little man, take this and bay 
- 'Fa new doll, and let Eddie have the old one,' 
— ' and, at that, he put into my hand a gold sov- 
ereign. I was again happy. On the way 
home father bought me another doll — but he 
didn't use all the sovereign I" 

This poor paper seller, without any of his 
father's ability, has had a hard struggle in 
life. He has tried many things but failed in 
them all, and now ekes out, as best he can, an 
existence. He wears a medal for Fenian raid 
(1866) service. 



The JVaudcrinsi Yankee. 



Sagucnag ^rip. 



The Crowning Trip of All! 

Tlie tourist who comes to Montreal and 
fails to go on to the Saguenay River, swing- 
ing round the circle from Quebec to Quebec, 
returns home without seeing what he will 
ever regret, when told of the real beauties of 
that trip. ''Told of it?" No, no one can tell 
of it ! We have all tried, but our story when 
placed along side of the real, will ever seem 
but a sad effort. It is now months since I saw 

that 

Weird River, 

but a feeling of contented pleasure, — if I may 
say it that way — comes over me whenever I 
think of those days up to Lake St. John and 
.back by the Saguenay. While visiting the 
schools at home, telling the children of 

The Beauties of Canada, 

I w\as almost sad to note that few or none of 
them had ever heard of that country and river. 
Many had gone to Europe to visit among the 
lakes of Switzerland— had gone down the 
Rhine— had seen the " Beautiful Blue Dan- 
ube," and had looked upon the snow capped 
Alps, but when told of the 

Picturesque Sag-uenay, 

they seemed to be hearing of a new world 



274 



TJic JJ\i)idcriiig Yankee. 



scene, and to me it was a scene I had not 
thought existed in even a new world. 

The Saguenay seems a great chasm cut 
through the mountains, and filled with water 
— many places 2,000 feet deep, and looking up 



unli^x 


F Vfi 




m 3 J 






^Km-k 




.j^^^^^^HO 


Hei# 




Hp#^' /:p| 


^Hi 




'T^^^K^- 


m •lip'^* 


- 


& 


^Mm 


1 


m.. 


Pm 




'r'¥^m%^ 


"J^JPr "r^rv ^-ji ■ ■''■a 


_1 
1 ^ 


If ■ * 


y^^^ »v " '^a 



TRINITY ROCK. 



again in other places you find the mountain 
bank rising straight up nearly 2,000 feet high. 
See this picture — note the trees on the moun- 
tain side and compare them to the height of 
those vast rocks. I tried to describe in '^ The 



The ll\iiulcriiig Vaiikcc. 275 

Yankee in Quebec," the strangeness of seem- 
ing distance. The boat moves in so close to 
the rocky walls that one feels that one might 
shoot with the thumb, a marble against those 
w^alls, but an attempt results in the dropping 
of the marble just outside the boat and one 
even fails to throw a stone far enough to 
reach the bank. 

Hxibe and the Colonel off for the Saguenay. 

I am about to take the trip again, the Colo- 
nel is to go with me, he could not go the other 
time, and if you are not busj- — come, join us 
— and if you, too, are not pleased draw^ on my 
bank for your fare, an offer I fear not to make. 
Ah, here's the Colonel now. I'm to act as 
gutde. 

'' Well, Colonel, are you ready ?" 

" Yes, and, by the way. Rube, there's a lo^t 
of my friends in town and they have all con- 
cluded to go along. They have heard of your 
book and of the fun you had last fall, and are 
wild to see the St. John and the great river." 

^' Good — If I can be the humble means of 
giving pleasure, I'm indeed happy and am re- 
paid for writing of what I see." And that 
was true. I do love to be the medium of 
pleasure — and I know no better way than to 
hunt out beauty spots and send people to see 
them, and they may depend that I won't tell 
them what would be a waste of time and 
money to visit. I'm going, on my return to 
Montreal, up the St. Lawrence, and see if all 
that everybody says of that trip is as delight- 
ful as they tell me it is. 

" Say, Rube, stop talking to yourself, and 



276 The JVaiidcrijig Yaiikcc. 

come on. I promised to be at the boat at 0.30 
to see after my friends and it's now B 
o'cloclv." 

'' Oh, don't be in sucli a hurry, the boat 
don't leave till 7. One would think you had 

A Dozen School Marms, 

to look after !" 

" AVell, there arc nearly that many !'' 

I thought he was joking but bless you he 
was right. There were ten of them with a 
school superintendent and his wife to keep 
those jolly teachers within bounds. 

I'm very timid when ladies are around. 
When I saw, in the distance, on the wharf, 
what the Colonel called " his friends,'' I stop- 
ped short and asked: " !?^ay — where did you 
tind 'em ? I'm going to run !" 

''I didn't find 'em — by the help of the 
superintendent they found me. Now, don't 
run too soon — they're a jolly lot — very smart, 
in everything but geography, history and ice, 
— why, they wanted to know of me to-day 
how far above Montreal, Canada ran, and if 
you could see the line from the mountain.' 

" Yes, and what did you say ?" encourag- 
ingly. 

" Well, as I didn't know myself just where 
it runs I non-committally pointed to a line of 
mountains far to the north, and said ' See 
that high range ? Well, the line is north of 
that yet !' ' Oh, girls (they call each other 
'girls') See, see, the Colonel says Canada runs 
further north than that range of mountains, 
and, sa}', Colonel, — we've been looking every 



The Wandering Yankee. 277 



where for that lee Palaee, we've read of for 
years, where is it ? — do, tell us. Again, we're 
just wild to see it." 

As I didn't know myself, yet didn't want to 
appear ignorant, I said I feared they couldn't 
see it now as it had been put away in cold 
storage, packed up with moth balls for the 
summer. " So sorry, w^e did want to see that 
Ice Palace so much. We have heard it was 
so beautiful when illuminated. I'm so disap- 
pointed, ain't we, girls !" '' Yes, yes, but they 
may have it out by the time we get back from 
the Saguenay, which the Colonel tells us is so 
great a riyer." 

'' Come, now, Eube, brace up and meet 
them." Just then we came in full view of the 
waiting ' Teachers' Institute.' '' 

" Oh, Colonel, w^e were afraid you were not 
coming in time for the boat. Here, introduce 
us to your friend " — as an aside. 

Bube is Introduced, 

And the Colonel, without looking at any one 
of them began: "Ladies, let me present my 
friend. Rube, allow me to present you to the 
Misses New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, 
Washington, New Orleans, Cincinnati, St. 
Louis, Iowa, San Francisco and Chicago. And 
Dr. and Mrs. Boston." By this time, I felt I 
too, was in '' Cold Storage," but the Doctor 
(I found out that the superintendent was 
called Doctor '' D.S.,"— Doctor of Schools. I 
was delighted to know that they — Schools — 
at last had a doctor, some of them need one) 
came to my rescue and explained that he had 
advertised to take on a Canadian tour one 



The Wander ill i^ Yankee 



teacher from each of ten large cities, and that 
out of four thousand and seven applications 
had selected those ten who are to be known 
only by the names of the cities and state they 
represent. 

'' Great scheme, Doctor !'' I exclaimed. 
" Who'd ever thought of such a thing but a 
Boston man !" That won the Doctor, and he 
was m}^ friend at once — Nothing makes a Bos- 
ton man so happy as to make him think you 
think he's '' It." 

All Aboard! 

It was nearly 7 o'clock and we went aboard. 
^' Oh, girls," said Miss St. Louis, ^' they have 
regular steamboats up here. Why, we haven't 
one on the river that would compare with this 
one. I must make a note of it." And out 
came her book, — and down went the name 
" Carolina," and " Captain Kiverin.' 

I haven't the space to tell you a hundredth 
part of the questions they asked or to note 
their '' Oh, looks !" " Isn't that beautiful !" 
etc. 

'' Why," said Miss Iowa, " they have towns 
all the wa}' along," as we passed Longueuil, 
Boucherville and' Varennes, to the right, and 
Maisonneuve, Longue Pointe, Pointe-aux- 
Trembles and Bout de I'Isle, to the left, all 
passed before reaching the end of Montreal 
Island. 

"And," said I, ''each one has more history 
connected with it than many of our great 
cities." 

She Wanted to take "Long Gay." 

" Oh, I wish they'd stop the boat till I could 
take that town," (as we passed Longueuil) 



The IVcnidcriiio^ Vojikcc. 



^ 



said Miss Chicago, who seemed to have a 
burning desire to '' take " everything in sight. 

" That town," said I, " has, as far back as 
1775, refused to be ' talven.' General Carrolton 
tried it that year, but failed. Some Ameri- 
cans were in charge at the time, but didn't 
like the society and left shortly after. That 
was before a friend of mine was running the 
social circle of the place." 

We sat out on the upper deck, watching the 
great 4'ound moon coming up, silvering its 
way along, and making clear the banks on 
either side. 

^' Here's another town,'' said Miss Philly, as 
we came to 

Sorel. 

at 10 o'clock. 

" Yes," said I, '' this is where the Richelieu 
River empties into the St. Lawrence. It's 
the outlet of Lake Champlain. This place 
was once called William Henry, but ' William 
Henrys ' became so numerous in town that 
they found it easier to change the name of 
the place than the people; so they called it 
' Sorel ' for short. It was called after Wil- 
liam the Fourth, who, when in the navy, 
visited here. This town stands on the site of 
de Tracey's (1665) fort, and used to be the 
summer residence of the Governors of Ca- 
nada." 

When we got well into 

Lake St. Peter 

I noticed that Miss Washington was becom- 
ing much concerned about something, and, 
Anally asked '' Pardon me, ^Fr. Ruben, but tell 



280 The Wandcrino- Yankee. 



me, is this the Atlantic Ocean ? I didn't come 
prepared for an Ocean voyage." 

"No, this is only a lake — lake St. Peter." 

" What a strange idea of having their lakes 
right in the river. I never, never did see such 
a country anyhow ! Is it customary, Mr. 
Kuben, or is this the exception ?" 

" You see, it's this way, Miss Washington, 
Canada is so full of lakes that in many in- 
stances they havn't room for them on the 
land, so they have just dropped them into the 
river wherever it happened, and this one is 
the one that happened in this locality." 

" Well, w^ell, but isn't it a large one though! 
I must tell my class all about the phenomen- 
on." And she made a note of it. 
<^How Deep is this Biver?" 

asked Miss St. Louis. 

'' It is now twenty-seven and a half feet 
deep, but the GoA'ernment intend making it 
thirty feet. I^p to 1851, eleven feet was the 
limit." 

'' What was the date of the lirst steamb(^at 
passage ?" 

'' John Molson, who is called the father of 
steam navigation on the St. Lawrence, ran the 
" Accommodation " from Montreal to Quebec, 
in 1809, and here is something I warrant that 
even you. Doctor, had never before known. 
The ' Royal William,' built in Montreal (1829- 
1833) was the first vessel that crossed the At- 
lantic propelled by its own steam." 

" What !" in chorus, " Why, I thought we 
crossed first !" 

" No, ladies," said L " when we get away 
from home we find a whole lot of things '■ we ' 



TJic Wandering Yankee. 281 

didn't do. We think that we have all the 
Ocean trade between America and Europe, and 
few of us know that there are more than fif- 
teen freight carrying steamship lines starting 
from Montreal, and that nine railroads center- 
ing here supply the freight. You can go back 
home and tell the children man}- things they 
have never before heard of." 

Another chorus : '" Indeed, we will for we 
have made a note of them !■' 

Rube "Wants to Even Things Up. 

It was now late and everybody but the 
Colonel and I '^turned in" — we sat and smoked 
out a cigar before retiring. 

" Colonel," I began, when all had gone. ' " I 
shall never be able to thank you enough for 
this opportunity." 
" What opportunity ?" 

''Why, the opportunity of getting even with 
the teachers of the States. You see, they 
made me lose that dinner to "The Only 
Percy," by not having taught Canada as they 
should. Say, if I don't have fun with them 
on this trip then tell me that I havn't evened 
matters up !" 

" Come, now, Rube, you are too resentful ! 
Promise me this, though, that you won't be 
too severe with pretty Miss .' 

Yoii see I left her name blank as when they 
all see this, as I mean they shall, each one 
will see that dash and fill in her own name, 
and I'll be forgiven." 

Late as all retired the whole party was out 
shortly after four o'clock — as none of the 
" girls " wanted to miss anything. It was a 



282 The Waiidcrino- Yankee. 



bright morning. Tlie sun, you Ivuow, rises 
much earlier up here than at home. 

I really think some of them were awake all 
night for Miss New Orleans asked: '^ Mr. 
Euben, what town was that we passed at one 
o'clock ?" 

'' That was 

Three Rivers, 

SO called from the St. Maurice dividing itself 
up into three channels. It is just half w^ay 
between Montreal and Quebec — ninety miles 
to either. Did you ever read Benjamin Suite's 
poems ? ' No,' ' Well, he has made the place 
famous among those who are interested in 
Canadian literature." 

" I didn't know that Canada had any 

poets,'' said the sour Miss ,^ and I hope 

she will remember saving it when she sees 
this dash.' 

" I looked at my watch at 2.30, and I saw a 
town on the left, I wonder what it was?" que- 
ried Miss Baltimore. 

'' That was 

Batiscan, 

very picturesque, but of not much importance 
other, than that it was named after a famous 
Indian chief. You might make a note of this 
ladies. About the only real use the Indians 
were in this part of Canada, was to furnish 
names for the towns, streets and rivers." 

" I trust that this could not be said of those 
who furnished the rest of the names," spoke 
up ]>Iiss Cincinnati, who always said things to 
the point. 

" Ah, ladies, look over there to the right — 



The IVaiuh'i'iii!^ Wiiikcc. 



that is the mouth of the Chaiidi^re River. 
Not far back is the beautiful 

Chaudiere Falls. 

" The word means hot or boiling. If we had 
those falls, they would be known to the fur- 
thest corner of the round globe and Sunday- 
school picnics would be in full swing the sum- 
mer through, while but little attention is 
given them there, but then this country is so 
full of beauty that a '' falls " more or less 
don't count." 

Just before reaching Quebec I pointed out 

Wolfe's Cove, 

to the left, and L^vis to the right further 
along, but to see those twelve people, from 
the Doctor down, go wild with enthusiasm 
when 

Old Quebec, 

came in sight was worth the whole trip. I 
won't stop here to tell them of the town, it 
took a whole book to do that, so I referred 
them to '^ The Yankee in Quebec," and we went 
on. I had, however, to point out many things 
of interest, while going down and around to 
the pier — where we arrived on schedule time, 
6.30. 

It was arranged that a whole week should 
be spent in town, then the start made up the 
Quebec and Lake St. John railway, to visit 
the lakes on the way up to Roberval, and 
back by the Saguenay. 

They Want to Know, Don't cher know. 

If I could have answered all the questions 
asked as the boat was rounding to the pier, I 



284 



The Wandcv'uig Yankee. 





<>^ 


^ 


P||- 


' ^H^l 


lifiip^ 


^3^ 


■>=^i^ 



St. Louis Hotel. 



would have been a very rare historical ency- 
clopedia, but you never heard such a mixture 
of i)eople and localities ! 

" Mr. Ruben where's Brock's Monument ?" 
asked Miss Francisco. 

" We want to see Old Fort Gary !•' said 
Miss Chicago, 

^' M}^ great grandfather was in the Lundy's 
Lane fight/' proudly joined in Miss New York. 

'' I must visit the old field and get a relic to 
take home to grandma — she'll be so pleased. 
Ruben can you see it from here ?" 

'^ Where were Wolfe and Frontenac killed 
that day in the fight with the Sioux ?" ask- 
ed Miss Iowa, who was always interested in 
Indians. 

'^ Sioux ! who ever heard of Sioux being in 
Quebec ! Why, they weren't killed by Indians 
at all. It was in the Montcalm battle, in 
1720, wasn't it, Mr. Ruben ?'' asked Miss 
Philly, with an air of superior knowledge. But 
I had, by this time, fallen over into the Colo- 
nel's arms and w^as saved further risk by the 
boat reaching the pier. 

Wanted, a Home-like Hotel. 

" Ruben, we want the most homelike hotel 
in Quebec, — which is it?" asked the Doctor. 
Of course, I told him the St. Louis, and, with- 
out further question, he ordered all hacks to 
that famous Old House. You should have 
seen Dion's smile as he saw that women's 
convention crowd, and as soon as he had a 
moment aside, wanted to know, "Rube, where 
in creation did you find 'em ?'' 

" I didn't find them, they are the Colonel's 



TJic Wandcruis: Yankee. 



28i 



discovery, but they are very fine people and 
you want to treat them to the best you have." 
And for a whole week he and Hunt did — but 
that they do with everybody who stops at the 
"■ famous." 

Bube and the Coloners Busy Week. 

That was the busiest week the Colonel and 
I had seen in Canada. I would tell you all 
about it, but by the volumes of notes those 
ten teachers carried away with them I judge 
that each one of them intends to write a book 
on Quebec, and it would be unkind of me to 
use their material. 

Look along the margins for a few reminders 
of the old town: Champlain, the founder; one 
of the gates; Spencer Grange, the home of 
Quebec's great historian. Sir James M. 
LeMoine; Falls of Montmorenci; the little gun, 
and many other things, and points about which 
I have already told at length in " The Yankee 
in Quebec." 

The Two Rooms in which Montcalm Died. 

They may leave this out so I'll tell you how, 
the first day, just before dinner they came in 
with ten separate exclamations about having 
found, in a house just opposite the hotel, 
something very wonderful. 

Miss ^Yashington got started first: ''We 
never knew before how many places Mont- 
calm died in until this morning. Why, in 
that house across the street we were shown 
two separate rooms in which that great gen- 
eral passed away. We do wonder, Mr. 



^^?^ 




Iv\OMTCALt^ 




286 



The Wandering Yankee. 





Kuben, if there are any more rooms iu town 
so historic.'^ 

'' No, ladies, those are the onlj' two where 
he breathed his last, but they are authentic, 
as, no doubt, you were told by the enterpris-' 
ing owners of the two rooms." 

Finds Historic Button. 

" See, here, Ruben, what Aliss Francisco 
found, a button eut from the eoat of General 
Wolfe. She only oave |5 for it and is going 
to give it to the museum at home. It's au- 
thentic, too, for the poor old woman who let 
her have it at that price, just because her 
rent was due, told her so. Didn't she Miss 
Francisco ?" 

" Yes, and I was almost ashamed to take it 
from the poor old w^oman at that price, she 
seemed so sad to part with it." And ^^et 
Miss Francisco's face beamed over her i)rize — 
beamed so that I hadn't the heart to say a 
word. She seemed to have all varieties of 
money and wouldn't miss it. She told me she 
only taught school one term, and did that for 
the fun of it — that she didn't have to teach, — 
and she looked the ])art. 

Off for the Lakes Country. 

The morning we went aboard the Quebec 
and Lake St. John train was a perfect one. 
Everybody was in good spirits, and old Que- 
bec never had more enthusiastic champions 
than the party that left that morning. My 
old friends had treated them royally and 
they, with one accord, voted the xVncient City 
the dearest, lovliest, etc., place they had ever 



The JVaiidcriug Yankee. 



287 



visited. Why, even the Dr. and Mrs. Dr. said 
that after Boston, Quebec came next, Tht^y 
all said that when the}' got back home they 
meant to call meetings just to tell everybody 
about the dear old Capital, and to send them 
all up here to see what they had seen. 

Quebec is not only full of all sorts of interest, 
but the people make you feel that their little 
home circle is not all there is in the world to 
them. They have hearts that can extend and 
make a place for you too, within those hearts. 

Dear Old Quebec ! and that conies from my 
heart, for I love her. 






As we crossed the country road at Oharles- 
bourg, Miss Cincinnati, who had a wonderful 
faculty for location, said : " See, girls, that's 
the road we took the dav we drove out to 



Chateau Bigot. 

three miles back at the foot of the mountain 
over there," and she actually pointed in the 
exact direction. 

" Rube, do you remember the da^' you got 
lost hunting the Chateau ?" 

" Say zve Colonel." 



288 



TJic JVaudcriiig Yankee. 



Again Miss Cincinnati called attention to 

Indian Lorette, 

as we were passing and spoke of the jolly ex- 
cursion made to it one day of our Quebec visit. 
That was as far as she could go, and, I had to 
again become guide to the party. We passed 
the wild, tumbling waters of the 

Jacques Cartier River, 

and a few miles further on came to 

Lake St. Joseph, 

with pleasant memories of the stay I made 
there at the Lakeview House — a stay, I hope 




to repeat some day, for it was very delight- 
ful. It is a fishing resort, and where the lake 
3^achting regattas are held. 
We pass 

St. Raymond, 

the large and very pretty village hemmed in 
by Swiss like mountains. 

The whole party were very enthusiastic 
over the prospect about St. Raymond. ^' La- 
dies, do vou remember the Commodore ?'^ 



The Wandcrino^ Yaiikcw 



289 



" ^ Remember the Commodore ? ' Will we ever 
forget the Commodore !" came in enthusiastic 
chorus from the ten. 

^' Well/' said I, pointing, " a few miles over 
there is the 



Tourilli Fish, and Game Club, 

to which many Americans belong and the Com- 
modore is the President. Fishing all about 





here is very fine. 

Rivierre a Pierre, 

was reached at 58 miles from Quebec. " This," 
said I, '^ is the junction of the Great North- 
ern Kail way which runs through a fine fishing 
and hunting country, also many agricultural 
sections." 

" Yes, but, Mr. Euben, I don't think there is 
much room up here to do any agriculturing ! 



290 



The IVaiidcriuor Yankee 




Why, it seems to be all lakes — but it's just 
what we, Yankees, like — we have enough 
room at home to plant beans and corn and 
— , wheat. We want to find the wild and pic- 
turesque — and if this is not the picturesque, 
then it's no use hunting for it," and Miss 
Towa thought of her own smooth country of 
sameness with lots of corn ground, but with 
little of the picturesque. 

" The trip to Grand M^re over the North- 
ern — 45 miles from Kiviere a Pierre, is very 
delightful, especially near that fast growing 
town, and beyond at Shawenegan Falls, one 
of the most beautiful cataracts on the Con- 
tinent." 

And they made a note of it. 

'' Not far from tlie last station is the 



/:0^^ \ 




Triton Club." 

'' Oh, I've heard President Roosevelt speak 
of this Club !" exclaimed Miss Washington. 
" Yes, he is an honorarv member of it, as is 



M also ex-President Cleveland." 
" Well, well, it sounds just 
hear those names." 
At noon, we reached 



Lake Edward, 



like home to 



113 miles up. When Bob Rowley saw that con 
gregation he started for the woods and left 
brother George to look after them. George be- 
ing a ladies man, they fared well. 

The " girls " on the way up had been read- 
ing my experience of last fall and prevailed 
on the Doctor to remain over for a day — and 
at noon of the day following he could hardly 



Tlic U'audcriuo- Yankee 



!91 



get them to consent to leave, for Bob, having 
returned from the " woods," had gotten out 
his canoes and his hike steamboat, and you 
never saw a part}' of teachers so enjoy an out- 
ing as they did at Lake Edward. It was all 
so wild and new% to them. 

We left Lake Edward at noon and reached 
Koberval in the evening, passing on the way 
so many lakes and picturesque scenes that a 
bare mention of them would use the space I 
must have to tell in even a hurried way, the 
delights of 

Lake St. John. 

When the party of instructors came in 
sight of that inland sea, there was not one of 
them who could exclaim an " Oh !" For 
jTars^few or many — they had taught geo- 
graphy, and not one had ever conceived of the 
magnitude of this vast body of water. When 
I told them of the great rivers that run into 
it, they seemed to be hearing of a newly dis- 
covered land, with unknown lakes and rivers. 
Even the Doctor said he was looking upon a 
sheet of water whose very existence had been 
to him but a spot upon the map, until now. 

Before reaching 

Roberval, 

five miles this side, I pointed to the west and, 
simply asked '" Ouiatchouan ?" Not even 
the Dr. knew the question, for he had not yet 
learned the Montagnais Indian language — so 
I translated it for them and asked it in Eng- 
lish, but it took six words to do it. "• Do 
you see the falls there ?" At which they 
looked and beheld in the distance, the 



AuM-& 



c^ r 



^^^' 




292 The ]]\iudcring Yankee. 

Ouiatchouan Falls, 

far higher than Niagara and nearly the height 
of Montmorenci, near Quebec, but with much 
greater volume of water. 

When we reached the Roberval Hotel, I 
could not but note the expression on every 
face. They had not expected to see anything 
on so large a scale, I knew from their many 
" wonder-what-it's-likes " that they thought 
to see here an unpretentious hotel in a wilder- 
ness, but to find in— to them— an unheard of 
country, a great hotel, with every appoint- 
ment of a city house, was an agreeable sur- 
prise. Then, too, the wilderness they had look- 
ed to find, was not here, but, instead a pro- 
gressive town of over 1,000 inhabitants, sit- 
uated amidst well cultivated surroundings. 

Concert at the Roberval. 

Among the teachers were a number of ex- 
cellent pianists and singers, especially so 
Miss Cincinnati, who had studied under great 
European teachers. Miss Baltimore was also 
an artist of a high order. It was fortunate, 
as an impromptu concert was to be held that 
night in the ball room. With the addition of 
our part}' it passed off most successfully ; 
Miss New Yorlv and Miss Washington contri- 
buting some fine recitations. I was very 
much delighted with the Colonel's " discov- 
ery," and told him so. " Yes, Colonel, they 
»may not be 'up ' on geography, history and ice 
but they know all the rest of the program." 

The Doctor had planned to stay two days 
and as we all sat out on the great piazza, 
after the concert, said as much : " I cannot 



The Wander in cr Yankee. 



293 



have my plans changed. No, we shall leave 
for the Saguenay the day after to-morrow. 
No use, no use,-' as Miss Philly and Miss New 
Orleans, pleaded, they having heard, as had 
we all, that there was to be fishing excur- 
sions, golf matches, a great ball, a trip up to 
visit the Montagnais Indians, and, in fact, 
enough ahead to keep us here till — well to 
the end of the season for that matter. The 
Doctor was relentless until Miss Francisco 
took matters into her hands and said : "' Doc- 
tor, your plans must change, we stay right 
here for a week ! Girls ?" 

" Yes, yes," said they all when they had ^^^^ 
found a leader. '^ Yes," Doctor, we shall stay ^ 
a week." — And we stayed, and I shall never ^^ _^^^ 
forget that jolly 

''Week of Sports at Roberval." 

The part taken in the concert had at once 
given our part}' an entree, and nothing went 
on without the ^^ girls." 

The next day there was a fishing excursion 
up to the mouth of one of the rivers — the 
Peribonca — We went up by steamer, a beauti- 
ful morning sail across the lake. 

Some of the teachers were fine whippers — 
" no, I don't mean that now, don't get humor- 
ous, I mean whipping — fishing by throwing 
the fl}^" Some people only know one mean- 
ing for a word — but, as I said, some of them 
were good fishers and landed that great land- 
locked salmon, called bv the Indians the 




Ouiananiche, 
with all the skill of an expert. Oh, it was fun 



294 



The Wander in g Yankee. 




to see those game fish fight ! They would 
bite and run off with the hook almost to the 
very end of the long line, then those '' girls " 
would quickly reel in — ease away, draw first 
to one side, then to the other, reel in, again, 
and pla}^ with the now securely hooked, as a 
cat would play with a mouse, letting it run 
for a space, but ever bringing it closer — but 
slowly — closer each run, until after a long 
and most exciting fight, which every one on 
board stopped to watch, the gamest fish I had 
ever enjoyed seeing caught, was drawn into 
the boat, and, as it lay there in its beauty it 
seemed to say: " You have won, but you'll not 
soon forget the day you fought with the Oua- 
naniche !" And long towards evening on the 
way home t'hey all declared, '^ We'll never for- 
get this day on the lake of the Landlocked. 

We had to start early next morning as we 
were to have a 



Fisli Dinner at the Island House, 

away across to the eastern and fuithest 
of i\w lake from the hotel, near to where 
water clian<»es from lake to river — at 



sid(* 
the 



The Grand Discharge, 

where the placid lake turns into the scathing, 
rushing, wildly picturescpie Saguenay river, 
wiiich plunges along for GO miles at times 
with the speed of a railway train until it 
reaches far away Ohicoutimi, where it moves 
majestically on toward the sea. 

A large number of people had come in on 
the train the evening before, and of the num- 
ber were friends of Miss Francisco. As I 
have so often noted, the world is very small 



The J/Vandcring Yankee. 295 

— Miss F. had felt that she of all the ten was 
least likely to see a familiar face and yet was 
the first to meet with friends from home. 

Professor and Mrs. Ross, the noted elocu- 
tionist, and his young bride on their wedding- 
tour. They joined our party for the dinner, 
and on the way over, the Professor recited 
some fine selections. Miss Francisco told us 
that he was the most celebrated on the 
coast. 

The day was a perfect one, and the dinner 
voted by all most enjoyable. 

That night was held the ball for which 
great preparation had been made. It was a 
pleasing success. The next day was the 
golf match; the following the trip in car- 
riages to visit the Indians in their camp or 
village; the fifth day we drove to the Falls 
and saw the great pulp mills run by the 
power from the water. 

One morning as we sat out on the piazza, 
to watch the sun rise on the lake, there came 
over me a great desire to ask questions of 
those teachers. One, naturally, feels that 
teachers ought to know everything— and yet 
— well, I've met some who didn't. 

'' How far north are we, and where would 
this line pass in Europe ?" I asked as a begin- 
ning. Not one could tell the parallel— and 
only Miss Philly would risk a guess at the 
other half of the question. 

"Well, I think it must be about through 
the most northern part of Norway," she 
guessed. 

"I can make a better guess than that— I 
can guess w^hat school you are connected 



296 



The Wandering Yankee. 




TJic Wandering: Yankee. 297 



with in Philadelphia," and to her surprise I 
did. 

" Oh, Mr. Ruben, how in the world did you 
know ? " 

" I've met the Principal of 3'our School," 
said I. 

" Yes, but what has that to do with it ?" 

" Well, he made about the same guess as 
you have, and I conclude that it is character- 
istic of your School. This is further south 
than the most southern part of England." 

'' What !" from twelve of them, the Dr. 
included, who in his surprise forgot himself. 
'' I would not have believed it myself if I had 
not looked. Why, this is not far north. You 
have gotten the impression that Canada and 
the North Pole are synonymous. Now when 
you get home tell your pupils just how differ- 
ent Canada is situated to what you had al- 
ways thought it to be, and tell them too what 
a charming country it is." 

" Indeed, we will !" and even Miss Iowa 
joined in the promise. 

The Professor Talks on Fossils. 
" I have noted a vast change in the per- 
sonnel of our schools of late years !" remarked 
the Professor when the question was started. 
'" Not many 3'ears ago some old fossil would 
have charge of the school board, and al- 
though most heartily disliked, would arbitrar- 
ily run things to please himself — none would 
like him, but all would fear him and he would 
hang on — on the principle that : 
" The good die first, 
And they whose hearts 
Are dry as summers dust 
Burn to the socket." 



298 Tlic Wandering Yankee. 

" But that day is past, new life, new blood 
thrills through the arteries of our school s^'S- 
tem and the fossils are left stranded in their 
own shells, not because perchance thej are 
old — many are old when young, whilst others 
are young at 80. No, not because they are 
old, but because they are fossils. Fossils of 
men with the milk of human kindness soured 
and curdled in their hearts toward all who 
think not as they think. No charity for opin- 
ions not their own. These are men soured 
toward the world, shrivelled in body as well 
as in soul, men who rule by rod of iron, not by 
love, for they have no love in their hearts. 
These men used oft to wonder why the public 
would not respond wiien actual school needs 
w^ere pressing, but when they stepped . down 
and out and a man of broad lines, a man of 
heart as well as intellect, stepped into their 
place, why, then, the public were quick to grant 
all needed improvements and progress was 
the order. No, the day of the fossil is past, 
and men of quick responsive minds, with 
hearts of love for children are at the wheel, 
now guiding." 

I wondered if the Professor was never go- 
ing to get through, talking about fossils. I 
could only catch at parts of what he was say- 
ing, but Dr. Boston and the teachers seemed 
to enjoy it greatly for they certainly were all 
young and progressive, in mind, at least. 

Miss said for years her city was held 

back by a fossil, but he finally shrivelled up 
and blew away and ever since, progress has 
been the order, new schools were built, new 



The Wandering Yankee. 299 



laws made to fit the requirements, all of 
which, she said, had been held back by the 
fossil who had formerly rnn the schools. 
They Leave Roberval. 

When the time came to leave the Koberval, 
there wasn't one of us who wanted to come 
away. Even the Doctor could have been 
easily persuaded to stay a week longer, but 
we simply had to cut short our most delight- 
ful visit. There were few, of all the young 
people at the house, but were down to the 
station to see the " girls " off. My, the friends 
they had made in that short week ! Every- 
body seemed really to feel sad at their depar- 
ture. And " Everybody " included some 
most charming people, not only from Canada 
and the States, but from Europe, since the 
fame of this, as an all-round fishing and 
pleasure resort, has gone far and wide, and 
each year the circle widens, as to visit and en- 
joy the pleasures of Koberval, means another 
advocate of the place. 

After the scores of " goodbyes " were said 
and then repeated a number of times, the 
train left for 

CMcoutimi, 
which is 64 miles, nearly due east from Rober- 
val. 

All the way along there was nothing talked 
about but " the fun we had at Roberval," or 
wasn't ''this" or "that" person or family 
" just too nice !" 

" Colonel," said I, when we went off to the 
smoking room for a quiet cigar, '' I'll wager 
you anything you name that some of the 



300 The Wandering Yankee. 

' girls ' will not teach very long," but the 
Colonel wouldn't name any wager as he, too, 
had seen those quiet little nooks occupied by 
a single " girl," and — w^ell the other wasn't a 
girl — " single," or otherwise. I would be 
happy to have it turn out so as they are most 
deserving, even if they don't know geography, 
history or ice. 

I asked the Doctor how it was possible to 
have chosen ten so charming people, and he 
said: "You take the young ladies of to-day 
who are teaching in the. public schools of 
America, and 3'ou will find them as a class a 
most charming lot of girls." He, too, called 
'em '' girls," — " You see," he continued, '^ our 
standard is so high that it takes the bright- 
est we can find to fill the positions," and the 
Doctor ought to know. 

We reached Chicoutimi at night and re- 
mained until morning. There are fairly 
good hotels in the place. If we had had a 
"Roberval" to stop at w^e would have remain- 
ed over, as there is much to see at this town. 
As it was, everybody was up and out at four 
o'clock and as the tide would not permit of 
the boat starting until later than usual, we 
all went up to see the 

Mag-nificent View, 

above the town where the railroad crosses 
the Chicoutimi River, over a bridge 60 feet 
above the water. This is a remarkable river. 
It is one series of falls. Within 17 miles it 
drops 486 feet by seven distinct plunges and 
one continuous series of rapids between. 



The Wandering Yankee. 301 



It is worth while to see the great 

Seething Saguenay River, 

at a point four miles west of the town. One 
place you can look down from the railroad 
300 feet to the river below, then up and down 
as far as you can see, is the placid water to 
the east and the boiling, tumbling waters of 
the rapids above. Across the river to the 
north are great palisades, higher than those 
of the Hudson, and nestling on the top, down 
toward and almost opposite Chieoutimi, is 
seen the pretty little village of Ste. Anne, 
with its ever present parish church. The 
railroad, before reaching Chieoutimi runs 
down grade 80 feet to the mile. 

While viewing the grand surroundings and 
drinking in the beauties of the scene. Miss 
Iowa, whose rural ear had caught the sound 
of bird notes, said to me, " Why, Ruben, 
listen, the air is filled with the songs of the 
robin and the twittering of the sparrows. I 
didn't know that these birds came so far 
north !" 

" No, Miss Iowa, you did not know it, and 
you are like many another, you are finding 
that the ^ far north ' is very much like the rest 
of the world after all, only that it has added 
beauties." 

The whistle of the boat indicates that by 
the time we can get to the wharf and aboflrd, 
the captain will be ready to touch the bell for 
the start through 

The Wierdest, Most Picturesque Scenery 
on the Continent. 

As we were leaving the wharf Miss Cincin- 



;]02 



The Wandering Yankee. 




nati, who was ever asking the meaning of 
names Indian, wanted to know if " Chicou- 
timi " took six English words to express ir. 

'•' Well, now," I answered, " you count and 
I'll say them : '■ It-is-deep-this-far-up.' " 

'' Yes, exactly six. No wonder the In- 
dians have to say so few words. My, my, 
Ruben, imagine the amount of talking a wo- 
man's sewing society could do if they couTd 
only talk Indian !" I'd never thought of that 
before. '' Yes, or the ^ Caudle lectures ' they 
might deliver to tired, sleepy man." said I. 

'" Who usuallj^ needs them," she retorted. 

" As woman unwisely thinks ! " I defended. 
"Indeed, and who is the arbiter of wis- 
dom ? " she smilingly questioned. 

Just here I called her attention to the 
high bluffs on the river bank, as I found my 
own were not sufficiently high to cope with 
her. She was too ready in her wit. 

I was happy to know that she represented 
my own state. I never once caught her un- 
aware, nor had her ask a question that 
should have been known by a child in the 
sixth grade. 

Yes, " Chicoutimi " means " It-is-deep-this- 
far-up." Above the town, a short distance, 
a boat could hardly go much less a steamer. 



All the 



girls 



crathered on the front deck 



and each one seemed to regret that she could 
not talk '^ Indian " a while, just to be able to 
do justice to that 



•^^"^•••iwi* -^ 



The Wandering Yankee. 303 

Marvelous River. 

I had to tell them what had been said of it 
by other vojageiirs, this somewhat relieved 
their minds. 

Prof. Koberts said of it : '' The Saguenay 
can hardly be called a river. It is rather a 
stupendous chasm cleft by earthquake right 
through the Laurentian hills." 

A writer in the London " Times " calls it 
'' Nature's Sarcophagus. Compared to it the 
Dead Sea is blooming, and the Lethe or the 
Styx must have been purling brooks, compar- 
ed with this savage river !" 

'^ But even those writers fail to do it jus- 
tice," said Miss New Orleans. 

''The Indians," said I, ''called it Pitchita- 
nichetz." 

" And I don't blame them for it." " What 
does that word mean, Mr. Euben ?" asked 
Miss New York. 

'^ The-river-that-is-pitch-dark-and deep." 

''Eight ! my, that's the longest yet." 

" Too long for so short a river !" said Miss 
PMlly, who was at once fined and sent below. 

Even Miss New York had to admit that the 
Hudson Eiver was a 

Purling- Brook in Comparison, 

and that the palisaides would be mere mole 
hills if placed along side of some of the vast 
piles of rock that reached heavenward, shear 
up from the river's edge. 

When we came to the first stop the " girls " 
asked, ''Mr. Euben, what's the Indian name of 
this ?" 

'' Hesknewaska !" 



304 The Wandering Yankee. 

" What's the answer ?" 

" This-is-where-the-laiigh-comes-iu !" 

" Yes, but what's the answer ?" urged the 
Colonel's " pretty " one. 

" I gave it — and had you only laughed you'd 
have had it — This is 

Ha ! Ha ! Bay." 

" Oh, say Kube, that's too much like the 
river — very deep and dark, but too weird to be 
allowed," said the Colonel, not liking it that I 
had joked his favorite teacher. 

A number of smaller bays are seen along 
the eleven miles between Chicoutimi and 
Ha ! Ha ! Bay ! The oddest of all names is 
"La Descente des Femmes," — when I pointed 
out this bay and told the " girls " the name, a 
number of them who know French looked 
over the side of the boat and said : ' Excuse 
us !" with the emphasis on the ' us.' 

Just below Ha ! Ha ! Bay !, the river nar- 
rows down very much until it is not over dou- 
ble the width of the East River, at the 
Brooklyn Bridge. This intensifies the beauty 
of the rockbound banks of the mighty stream. 
Beyond is a great rock — where, again, the 
river widens, so smooth that one might think 
it had been polished as for a picture. It is 
called 

Le Tableau. 

But all these rugged banks and great rocks 
seen along the sides dwindle into mere hills 
when compared to the mighty mountains of 
rock that loom up in the distance to the right 
or southern bank. They are 



TJic Wandering!- Yankee. 



305 



grandear. 



Trinity and Eternity. 
Their very names denote awful 
They are nearly 2,000 feet high. Even Miss 
FraiQoisco, used as she was to mountains, 
stood in wonderment in presence of Trinity as 
the boat veered in, seeming almost to touch 
the bank, yet far away in fact. When last I 
came past this rock I foolishly tried to throw 
a stone over what seemed but a few yards dis- 
tance. That was months ago and I've not 
throwed a stone since, save with the left 
hand. This time I let the " new " ones try to 
wrench their arms, but none of them could 
reach the wall, try as they might. The decep- 
tive distance is most phenomenal. A statue is 
seen far up on a rocky shelf. Miss New York, 
who saw fun in the midst of the grandest sur- 
roundings, wanted to know of the Captain : 
" I wonder. Captain, would the lady of the 
mountain, fiirt ? '' as she moved her handker- 
chief. 

"Oh, no, mamselle, ze lady of ze mountain- 
no Yankee !" Miss New York was no match 
for the good natured Captain. It will be many 
a day before she hears the last of her at- 
tempted pleasantry. 

A mile further on, across a bay like inden- 
ture which is, in fact, the mouth of a stream, 
we came to Cape Eternity, almost as high as 
Trinity, but less bold and picturesque, and yet 
very impressive, as the boat floats past it. 

From these two mountain capes the river is 
most picturesque as it winds in and around, 
making new combinations of scenes as we go 

on toward 

Tadousac. 

This is on the north bank of the Saguenay 

and, at its entrance into the St. Lawrence. 




306 The Waiidcriuo- Yankee. 



This is a place of much interest. The boat 
stayed loii^ enough for us to drive up into the 
town. We visited the salmon hatcherj^, went 
through the old church, built in 1750, on the 
site of the original bark church, which dated 
from 1639, one of the earliest on the St. Law- 
rence. Here are the Indian mocassin and 
boot makers, quite worthy a visit. There is a 
fine hotel at Tadousac . 

From Tadousac we went far across the 
wide St. Lawrence Bay to 

Riviere- du-Loup. 

Here again was a parley between the Doc- 
tor and the " girls." 

The Doctor said his plans were such that 
he must go on, but, again, Miss Francisco 
quietly remarked : " It's ^ ten to one ' we stop 
of at Kiviere-du-Loup and go down to 

Cacouna, 

the Newport of Canada. Girls ?" 

The Doctor lost — as was usual — with the 
girls ! Once let them find that they are with- 
in a few miles of a place so noted for real fun 
as Cacouna and votes don't count unless they 
are on their side, and in this case the vote was 
unanimous. " Why," said Miss Francisco, 
'' Frank S. owns that hotel at Cacouna, and 
Frank was so nice to us at Quebec that we've 
just got to see his place, besides Frank Nor- 
man is landlord this year and they say he has 
few equals for making his guests forget 
every care in the round of pleasures he thinks 
out for them. ' Yes, Doctor, we're going to 
stop off," and stop we did. 



The Wandering Yankee. 307 

While the baggage was being taken off, I 
went into the station and telephoned to np 
town : 

'^ Hello, Central ! Give me 

Colonel Tom Crockett, 

'' No— Crockett. C-r-o-c-k-e-t-t— Crockett !" 
'^ Oh, we, we, — ah, here iz ze Colonel.-' 
''■ Hello, Colonel I — ^Do you recognize my 
voice ?" 

'' No — oh, it's Rube ! Where are you, eh ? 
What, ' down at the pier ?' ' Cacouna " ? 
No, you're not, you're coming up here, I'm go- 
ing to take that 

Temiscouata Trip 

I've so often told you about, and which you 
have so often promised to take with me. 
Come up — no excuse — and we'll go down to- 
morrow — What ! ' School teachers ?' 'ten of 
them ?' Oh, let the Colonel look after them 
till they get to Cacouna, and I'll stand good 
that Norman will see that time don't drag on 
their hands. I'll w^ait at the office." At 
that he shut off the 'phone leaving me no Al- 
ternative but to tell the Colonel that I was 
going to stop at this town. I waited till the 
u oiris " were all off, then went up town. 

Colonel Crockett Takes Rube over the 
Temiscouata. 

I could no more touch on that grand outing 
through this wonderful fishing resort in sum- 
mer and hunting grounds of winter, in one lit- 
tle book than I could fly, and I'm not going to 
try in this short space. In fact, I don't be- 



308 The Wandering Yankee. 

lieve I could do so in a whole book. The lover 
of sports who don't visit this country of beau- 
tiful lakes and wild wooded hunting grounds 
will come and go from Canada without seeing 
the 

Paradise of Sports. 

I just knew the ^' girls " wouldn't believe a 
word I said about fishing unless I brought 
proof, so I had this photograph taken of one 
day's catch — and Colonel Crockett didn't 
catch 'em all either. See those three big ones ? 
Well, I hooked all three of them. 

"From the Colonel?" "Hooked 'em from the 
Colonel'? Now, don't get smart. No, I 
caught 'em, fished for them and drew them 
from the original water." (I don't like to tell 
about fishing, it does take so much explana- 
tion.)* 

This is positive proof that any body can fish 
in the Temiscouata country. I just didn't care 
a fig whether the Doctor and the " girls " got 
tired and left me or not, so. Colonel Tom and 
I stayed up there, going from lake to lake, for 
a whole week, and hardly then saw a little bit 
of the country. When we got back and Co- 
lonel Tom drove me down to Cacouna, five 
miles, I was surprised to have them all say : 
— Doctor Boston included — " Why, Rube, 
what was vour hurrv ? " They had had a re- 



*Note.— After all, Lapointe failed to half- 
tone this photograph, and I won't allow him to 
" lyin' cut" it, so you'll have to take my word 
for that fish story, and, which, if you knew^ how 
easy it was to catch them down there, you 
would easily believe. 



The Wandering Yankee. 309 

gular Roberval time over again, and tlie 
" girls " were as popular as ever. My,— I 
never had seen a lot of girls who could beat 
them for a downright good time wherever 
they went ! They couldn't say enough nice 
things of Norman. ''Why," said Miss New 
York, "he can beat any landlord I ever saw 
for thinking ' what to do next.' " Then I said 
'' I told you so !" and felt real proud to think 
that I knew a good one when I saw him. 

Everything must end, and with regret 
everybody saw the last of this year's stay at 
Norman's, and everybody promised to send 
everybody else up to the great St. Lawrence 
Hall, at Cacouna for this and next year— then 
by that time they won't have to be sent. 

We take the boat to cross over to 

Murray Bay, 

where is one of the finest summer resorts on 
the river. The Richelieu Company have here 
a magnificent hotel, just completed, the Ma- 
noir Richelieu. It stands near the wharf, on 
a commanding bluff. It is in its every ap- 
pointment a model of the perfect summer 
hotel. Murray Bay has many fine cottages. 
One the home of Justice Harlan, of the 
United States Supreme Court, and many 
other notables have chosen this ideal spot, 
where they pass the hot summer months of 
each year. 

We leave Murray Bay, and find ourselves 
next morning again in Quebec. I could not 
but note the real joy on every face when we 
came in sight of the Old Capital. Every- 
body had been up for over an hour to see the 



310 The Wandering Yankee. 



Sunrise on the St. Lawrence. 

The great red ball came up, throwing its 
long rays out toward our steamer, whose 
wake of waves broke into a thousand part- 
icles the sheen of light. The shores of island 
and mainland grew from dark to bright, t:s 
Hie sun rose higher and higher, casting shad- 
ows all along the Isle of Orleans as we came 
ploughing our way up the broad river. 

To come again to Quebec was as though 
coming to a loved home, after a long, happy 
sojourn amid scenes of beauty. It was rest- 
ful and sweet, and everyone seemed to feel 
drawn toward it as though it were really 
Home. 

The ^'girls" were surprised to find that their 
friends knew of all their doings since we had 
left Quebec. 

" Why, who would think that the news- 
papers were so enterprising up here ! I didn't 
know before I came, that they had papers in 
Canada so up-to-date," said Miss Philly, wiio 
seemed to think that her city had the mono- 
poly in that line. A sarcastic reporter, who 
heard this remark said : " And I didn't know 
that some of your papers were up-to-date in 
anything except obituary poetry, vide : 
' Affliction sore long time he bore, 
Faysicians were in vain, etc' " 
That was cruel, but he was a new-comer and 
had to be pardoned. 

Prisoners Like Quebec. 

" Wasn't General Winfield Scott once in 
Quebec ?" asked Miss Baltimore. 



The Wandering Yankee, 



311 




12 The Wandering Yankee. 



" Yes, he was here during the 1812 war. He 
w^as here as a prisoner, but Quebec, even as 
far back as 1812, had a way of treating prison- 
ers so well that thej^ fought to be held/^ 

Then I took them down to Dave Morgan's 
and showed them the old Union Building, now 
his (Dave's) great emporium of the correct in 
men's dress — and Dave took us all through 
the old halls, upstairs, and pointed out the 
rooms where Scott had wandered through as 
the nation's guest (?). 

I was amused at Miss New York when she 
saw Morgan's store. I heard her say to Miss 
Chicago : "I don't believe Bell could beat these 
styles." 

I showed them a picture of this old hall, 
taken at the time the Duke and Duchess of 
Cornwall and York were here. 

It was very warm while we were in Quebec, 
so, in order to bring back the thought of cold 
weather if nothing more, I showed the '^ girls " 
the picture of Holt Renfrew & Company's 
great fur house, on Buade street, near the 
Basilica, taken during the" Week of Sport »j»." 
" See those blocks of ice at the edge of the 
sidew^alk, and the ice pillars ! " 

" Oh my, it's a pleasure to see ice even 
though but in a picture. Say, girls, this is 
that fur house we have heard so much about, 
let's go round and see it," and Miss Francisco 
led the way, as she usually did. When they 
got there I thought they'd never leave. A 
woman is in her element when she can '^shop." 
They said they had never seen so many fine 
furs in one place before — and I believed them. 



The Wandering Yankee. 



313 



Coiats of arms. 
The '^ girls " became such Quebecers that 
every one after leaving Holt's, went in next 
door to J. F. Dobbins, and got a Quebec coat- 




of-arms and a lot of other things jewellery to 
take home as souvenirs. 

The Old Curiosity Shop. 
Then I had to take them all down to St. Stanis- 
las street, to visit the Old Curiosity Shop. I'll 



314 The Wandering Yankee. 

never forget the look on Gale's face as the 
^'girls'' filed in to the Shop that daj^ — nor will I 
forget the surprise of the '' girls - as they saw 
the thousands of curiosities scattered around. 
I thought Miss Francisco would buy out the 
place '' to take home and give to the museum." 
and tell how that " They came from Old Que- 
bec." 

Again w^e bid good-bye to friends and city 
and left for Montreal, where we arrived next 
morning at 6.30. 

This may seem a long description of a trip, 
but there are trips, then there are other trips; 
this one to the Saguenay is one of the others, 
and to do it even a passing justice would re- 
quire far more than I have given it. To those 
who come to Montreal and fail to go on that 
weird river, I can only say — don't. 

HOSPITALS. 

The Doctor and the ''girls" remained another 
week in Montreal. The Colonel and I showed 
them about. The Doctor's wife manifested 
great interest in the subject of the hospitals — 
and she casually told me that she had 
once been a nurse in Boston. She was greatly 
surprised to find here such an excellent system 
— and she said (the evening of the day I show- 
ed her around among them, while the Colonel 
was showing the " girls " among the schools 
and colleges) that the system was really excel- 
lent. She told the Doctor of 

The Montreal General Hospital 
situated on Dorchester street, near its eastern 



The Wandering Yankee. ol5 

end. She had found out that it dated from 
away back to 1815, when immigrants were 
coming in to the country in great numbers and 
needed assistance — and how that the Ladies' 
Benevolent Society assisted them and set go- 
ing the phm that resulted in the great hospital 
seen to-day. She had found that nearly two 
hundred were looked after in the hospital 
every day, and between seven and eight hun- 
dred outside patients on the list of calls, and 
that the hospital is supported by the benevol- 
ence alone of the people and that all creeds 
are welcome. 

Hotel Dieu. 

I took her next to Hotel-Dieu, out Park ave- 
nue to Pine Avenue, on which it is situated. 

'^ Yes, Mrs. Boston, this is the oldest of all." 
Then, I told her the part taken in it by that re- 
markable woman, Mile Mance, of whom I have 
told you in another part, — also of the interest 
taken in the present hospital by that great 
physician, Sir Wm. H. Hingston. 

Royal Victoria Hospital 
was next visited. This, Mrs. Boston pro- 
nounced one of the finest and best arranged 
hospitals she had ever seen and was greatly 
pleased to hear how that two men of heart 
and means — Lord Strathcona and Lord Mount 
Stephen— had built it. "Why, Ruben," she 
said in her enthusiasm, " Montreal has men 
whose works are so genuinely good that all 
the world should know them !" 

''Well, my dear Mrs. Boston, I mean to try, 
in my little way, to tell all the world of these 



316 The JVaudcring Yankee. 

moil, for, as you say, they should be knowu, as 
an inspiration to others. These men do real 
■good. They may not grind down their poor 
workmen in order to acquire millions to give 
libraries to cities that don't want them, but 
they give wiiere gifts are of benefit. Yes, 
Montreal has men of real worth." 

Notre Dame Hospital, 

on Notre Dame street, near the C.P.R. bridge, 
was next visited, then we were driven out to 
the 

Grey Nunnery, 

on Dorchester street, running to St. Catherine, 
beyond Guy street. We also went out Dor- 
chester to 

The Western Hospital. 

But of these I have before spoken. 

" Mr. Ruben," said Mrs. Boston, "I really am 
delighted with Montreal. I had known 
the city in a vague way. I thought of it only 
as a commercial town, and that; is the way it is 
generally known, but to-day has showed me 
the other side of the city, and that side is good 
— all good, and I shall ever think of it, not as a 
commercial, but benevolent Montreal." 

While Mrs. Boston was speaking of the hos- 
pitals, the " girls " came in. Miss Iowa asked : 

" Did you visit the Civil Hospital ?" 

" They were all civil ?" 

" No, I mean the one we are hearing so much 
about ?" 

" Oh, I see, you mean the Civic Hospital ?" 

" Yes, yes, that is it. Did you visit it ?" 



The IVaudcriug Yankee. ol7 

" No," said I, " owing to lack of time we 
didn't see it." I didn't tell her that we lacked 
a generation of time. 

" Mr. Ruben," said Miss New Orleans, one 
day when I was showing the " girls " around 
old Ville-Marie section, " if I remember, 

The Two Lemoynes, 

Jean-Baptiste and Pierre, who founded our 
city, came from Canada, and, I believe, from 
Montreal. Am I correct ?" 

" Yes, and I can show you within a block of 
where we stand the site of their birthplace," 
and, to her great delight, I took her to the spot 
just east of Place Royale, on St. Paul street. 
She made a note of it, and told me what I had 
not known before, that these men, for nearly 
fifty 3'ears, w^ere governors of her State. First 
one, then, the other of the brothers. Miss Chi- 
cago spoke up and said " Yes, and some of the 
men who founded cities in our country came 
from here too — Marquette, Du Luth, Cadilac. 
The tw^o former had cities named for them, 
while Detroit, Michigan was founded by the 
latter." It seemed a real pleasure to Miss Chi- 
cago to be able to show, that if she didn't 
know Canada, she did know our own history. 
When I pointed out to ^her where Cadillac's 
house stood, at the corner of St. Lambert Hill 
and Notre Dame — and the site of Du Luth's, 
not far away, near Place d'Armes, she, too, 
made a note of it. It w^as now my turn to be 
proud, and I had them go down to the Bonse- 
cours Market, where I said proud-like : '^ Here, 
on this site, is where Sir John Johnson held 
peace conferences with those noted Indian 



18 The JVandcriiio- Yankee. 



warriors, Tecumseh and Brant.-' Then, I told 
them liow that Tecumseh and I had lived tit 
various times in Clark County, Ohio, a good 
many years, but not very many miles, apart— 
and how that one of my ancestors had attend- 
ed a peace conference in Springfield, Ohio, at 
which Tecumseh was the great chief. "' The 
Indians came in," said my ancestor, '' in great 
numbers — we made them lay their arms oat- 
side the council grounds, but Tecumseh refus- 
ed to la}^ down his tomahawk and carried it in 
Avith him. We protested. He claimed : ' This, 
my pipe — I keep my pipe,' at which he filled a 
bowl arranged ingeniously, lighted the tobacco 
and began smoking through the handle which 
was the stem of the pipe. We still protested, 
when he deliberately arose, and, with all the 
power of his strong arm, threw it far outside 
the line, then, as deliberately sat down again 
and said ' There is my pipe, get it I' " There is 
a just pride in being even remotely connected 
with one who had, even so remotely, to do with 
a brave man — and Tecumseh though a savage 
was a brave man and a great warrior. 

It was now Miss Phily's turn, and she said : 
^' I guess I have a little to say in this town too. 
Ben Franklin lived here some ^Vhere." 

" Yes," said I, '' he was at the Old Chateau 
de Ramezay, as was also one of your great, 
men, Charles Carroll," I said, directing the last 
half of my remark to ^liss Baltimore — " And,'* 
1 continued, " for that matter all of us might 
t race to Montreal men of note; for. Miss New 
York, John Jacob Astor and Washington 
Irving lived here. Doctor, General Montgom- 
ery, I believe you of Boston, make a claim for 



The Wandcrino- Yankee. 319 



him — and, and who claims Benedict Arnold ? 
Don't all speak at once — What, no one claims 
him !" '" No, but we do claim the honoi' of 
honoring Major Andrd," said Miss New York^ 
proudly. I found that she had been from 
Tarrvtown, on the Hudson, where Field had 
erected a monument to the Major. 

Speaking of the Old Museum de Ramezay. 
The Chateau is under the supervision of 
some of the best people in the city, and the 
rare collection of the old in pictures, medals, 
implements of peace and war, books, parch- 
ments, and, in fact, everything that goes to 
make it unique in Canada, will interest the an- 
tiquarian for hours and days. 

OflEicers. 

PATRON.— His Excellency the Governor- 
General. 

PRESIDENT.— Hon. Mr. Justice Baby. 

VICE-PRESIDENTS.— H. J. Tiffin,^ Esq.; 
W. D. Lighthall, Esq., M.A., F.R.S.L.; F. W. 
Campbell, M. D., Hon. Treasurer; George Durn- 
ford, Esq., Recording Secretary; C. A. Har- 
wood, Esq.; Mr. Justice Sicotte, Rouer Roy, 
Esq., K. C; Louis Laberge, M. D., Hon. Cura- 
tor; R. W. McLachlan, Esq., Corresponding Se- 
cretary; J. A. U. Beaudry, Esq. 

LIBRARIAN.— Gonzaive Desaulniers, Esq. 

COUNCIL.— P. O. Tremblay, Esq.; Yicomte 
de la Barthe, Ludger Larose, Esq.; G. Langlois, 
Esq.; S. M. Baylis, Esq.; H. J. Ross, Esq.; J. S. 
Brierly, Esq.; James Reid, Esq.; E. Ohlen, Esq. 

ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN.— Thos. O'Leary. 

LIFE GOVERNORS.— H. Montague Allan, 
Esq.; R. B. Angus, Esq.; Hon. Justice Baby, 



320 



The Wandering Yankee. 




The Wandering Yankee. 321 

Robert Bickerdike, Esq.; Treffl6 Berthiaume, 
Esq.; Samuel Carsley, Esq.; James Coristine, 
Esq.; E. S. Clouston, Esq.; James Cratliern, 
Esq.; Hon. G. A. Drummond, M. E. Davis, Esq.; 
Hon. L. J. Forget, George Hague, Esq.; J. B. 
Learmont, Esq.; H. H. Lyman, Esq.; H. La- 
porte, Esq.; R. W. McLachlan, Esq.; James 
Moore, Esq.; John T .Molson, Esq.; Robert 
Meiglian, Esq.; S. H. C. Miner, Esq.; James 
Ross, Esq.; R. Wilson Smith, Esq.; H. Stike- 
man, Esq.; S. O. Shorey, Esq.; H. J. Tiffin, Esv$.; 
H. H. Wolff, Esq. 

'^ Mr. Ruben, you promised to show us where 
La Salle lived — the discoverer of our great 
river," said Miss St. Louis. " Yes," joined in 
Miss Iowa, '' father told me to be sure to see 
that." Then, I had to take them all down to 
the corner of St. Peter and St. Paul street, and 
show them the site of La Salle's town house. 

They all declared that when they returned 
home they would feel that they now had a mis- 
sion in life — and that mission was to teach 
Canada as it is, and to dispel from the minds 
of all our people that which they have long 
knowm 

"CANADA AS IT ISN'T." 



The JJ^aiidcriu^ Yankee. 



Hnb \\t lEntr is Bot ^t\. 







for the simple reason that there is an " end " 
just discovered. It is the east end, the real 
and only 

Bout de L'Isle. 



When I was at Ste. Anne, the}- called that 
Bout de risle, and I talked about it as though 
it were the " real and only/' but Fitz said, one 
day, when I asked if he knew of any place I 
had not seen, '' Yes, we've not been down to 
Bout de I'Isle yet." 

'' You mean up and I've been there !" 
" No," said he, " and it's down, not up. It 
is at the very east end of the Island !" 
" Yes, and how do you get there ?" 
•' I don't know, but I saw a sign: ' Take any 
car going east and go on until you get to La- 
salle street.' At this street, the sign said, 
you come to the 



The Wandering Yankee. 



323 



Montreal Terminal Railway, 



get into a car and stay on until you get there." 

'^ Well, that's easy — let's go at once." Fitz 
got his sketch book and we started. 

At Lasalk^ street, I asked '' whose road 
is this ?" but the man with the tickets 
said: "you see, Mr. Rowley inside, there, he is 
the Superintendant.'' I saw Mr. Rowley, " in- 
side there," gave him my card and, as is ni}- 
custom, ran square into another coincidence. 

" Do 3^ou know^ my brother, Robert, of Lake 
Edward ?'' Say, read 'The Yankee in Que- 
bec,' and find about 'steen images of the fun I 
had at Bob Rowley's great fishing and hunt- 
ing resort last fall. 

- Do I know Bob ? Will I ever forget 
Bob and the ' Week of Sports ' he gave me ! 
Never, I couldn't." 

Well, John Rowley, and I were acquainted 
at once, and he told me about the Terminal, 
and how that our own well known Colonel 
Jas. McNaught is of this Company. This 
fact alone not only warrants the success of 
the road but it speaks volumes for the road 
itself, for if there is a New York man who 
knows a good property, and how to develop it, 
that man is the Colonel. 

Mr. D. Murphy, of Ottawa, is the President; 
Mr. H. H. Melville, of Boston, Vice-President, 
and Mr. J. P. Mullarkey, of Montreal, 
is the up-to-date Managing Director, and 
with Mr. John Rowley as Superintendent, 
this Montreal Terminal is going to be 
one of the greatest enterprises of the 
Island. It now runs to Bout de I'lsle, 




324 



The Wandering Yankee. 





with a braucli to "The Chapel," and with its 
nine miles shortly to be laid down in the cit}^ 
and its line across the bridge, to be built at 
Bout de risle, and thence to Joliette, it will 
be one of the finest trolley systems in the Do- 
minion. 

To have missed this important feature 
of Montreal, would have been to have 
missed not only a most delightful out- 
ing, but a fact without which the book 
would have been incomplete — (not that 
it is complete — to tell all of interest 
in Montreal would take a whole library). But 
I mustn't stand here talking about it for Fitz 
is waiting. " Don't be in a hurry, now, Fitz, I 
must tell about the towns on this line — we'll 
get there in time for dinner at Bureau's, so 
don't rush." We start at Lasalle street, in 

Maisonneuve. 

in which are located a large sugar factory, wall 
paper factories and many others. 

Tlie Canadian Pacific Railway Company 

have recently acquired several hundreds of 
acres on which are to be erected the largest 
car-building and workshops in America. Thou- 
sands of men will be employed. The immense 
shops of this company at Delorimier avenue 
will still be maintained. This railroad is be- 
coming one of the greatest in the world. It is 
yearly reaching out into new territory, opening 
up the North-West, giving to vast wheat lands 
an outlet to the markets, also making acces- 
sible the hundreds of square miles of coalfields 



The Wandering Yankee. 



325 



in that territory. Great credit is due to Sir 
Thomas Shaughnessy and to Sir William Van 
Home for these vast strides of progress. We 
in the States have no conception of what is 
being done up here, where work is silently 
going on, building up a Dominion that is 
destined to become a brotherly rival to our 
progressive land, 
Next we come to 

Long-ue Pointe. 

It is here that occurred the great fire at the 
lunatic asj lum, a few ^-ears since, at which so 
many inmates were burned to death. The asy- 
lum has since been rebuilt and greatly 
enlarged. 

Two miles further is the manufacturing 
town of 

Pointe-aux-Trembles, 

Literal meaning of which is '^ Trembling point," 
from a legendary earthquake. The French 
Protestant College is here located. 

A short distance beyond, we see a spur of 
the road running off to the left. It runs out 
to the Shrine, or 




The Chapel, 

which has been the object of special attention 
of His Holiness the Pope. It is a duplication 
of Notre Dame de Lourdes — and, like the 
great Ste. Anne de Beaupr^, on the St. Law- 
rence, below Quebe^', is the objective point for 
thousands of pilgrims during the summer. 

Just before reivhiu;i- the terminus of the 
road we come to 



326 



The Wandering Yankee. 



Bout de L'Isle Park. 




the most complete, and, aside from Mount 
lioyal, the largest park in the city. The 
next stop is the last, at the very end — Bout 
de risle, where we find one of the happiest 
crowds of merr^'-makers we have yet found in 
any of the suburbs. 

If I should put in all the sketches Fitz 
caught that afternoon, this would be another 
" Sketch Book." I wanted the Twin Moun- 
tains, Beloeil and St. Bruno, seen far acrt^ss 
the St. Lawrence, oyer the town of Varennes. 
Fitz took it, then went oyer to get those jolly 
singers from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, who 
were enliyening the happy crowd with music 
and song. The one facing east was a real 
artist. 

AMien we were ready to return that eyening, 
after one of Bureau's excellent dinners, — Mr. 
Rowley, who had in the meantime come down 
from the city, said : ''Rube, you must not fail 
to com? to the ' La Presse ' picnic to-morrow." 

'' ' Picnic ' ? ' La Presse '? I fail to grasp I" 

'' Why, don't you know that every Monday 
during July and August that the great news- 
paper ' La Presse,' gives a picnic at Bout de 
I'Isle Park V" 

u ;j^-Q " ^'Well you and Mr. Fitz Maurice come 
down Monday morning and you will see a 
sight worth a long journey I" 



The Wandering: Yankee. 



327 



THE PIC NIC. 




Z^^.,^..^SiM^ 



" DoNT Loose Me, Rube." 

Well, Fitz and I were there. I wish I could 
give you even a faint notion of that picnic !— 
Twenty long cars packed with happy, singing, 
flag flying children, all '' goin' to ther picnic V 

Say — if you are not busy, come — go out with 
Fitz and me— ' no room'? Well, crowd in, 
stand up— any way to get there— it will pay 
you for the day. At the Park it was just like 
opening the door and letting fly two thousand 
caged birds. Oh, how happy they were ! They 
danced, and sang and played ball, gathered 
flowers, climbed all over good natured Bour- 
geau and ate the six hundred pounds of bread 
and the barrels of candy which that Prince of 
Good Mayors— Cochrane— had furnished, as 
this was Mayor's Day. 

To see Bourgeau, Rodier and Bourdon distri- 





The Lomg 




328 The Wandering Yankee. 

bute those barrels of candy, like as to feeding 
two thousand chickens, was a sight ! No 
scrambling — no piling on top, but each one 
taking what was his or her share, so gently, 
was as much a treat as though we, too, were 
children getting our share. 

Just as an aside: If those children could 
vote, Cochrane would have a life lease on that 
office. Then, to think that the children of 
Montreal can have the fun every Monday. 
Each section of the city getting its turn. No 
wonder I can't get through telling about this 
up-to-date or a little head cit}^, now really, eh ? 
Every one went home singing the praises of 
the kind hearts that plan and carry out these 
children's picnics. 

Don't fail to see Bout de I'Isle, for Bout de 
I'Isle is the end of the Island, as this sketch is 
of the book 

THE END. 




TJic Wandering Yankee. 329 



'' Rube," asked the Colonel, "^Ylly didn't ^o\\ 
finish when you ended ?" 

'^ Then there wouldn't have been any more 
to say — ^and I'm like some other people. I do 
like to have the ' last word '—and in this ease, 
I couldn't have the last word until the word 
came. You know when down among the 
schools, I otfered prizes for the best letter on 
Canada and I wanted to give the names of 

The Prize Winners. 

And even now only two places came in time 
to get in this edition— Montclair, New Jersey 
and Brooklyn, Xew York. 

Mr. JohnHugh Ross, the most expert expert 
I could possibly find, has gone carefully 
through the 125 letters from Montclair, and 
the 76 letters from Principal McAndrew's 
School, of Brooklyn. He found some of the 
letters so full of correct data on Canada that 
he could scarcely believe they had been writ- 
ten by children of the United States. He was 
fair, as he knew none of the writers. I pro- 
mised one prize to each of the scho'ols I exam- 
ined, and also promised to print the winning 
letter, but in Montclair, three were so nearly 
equal in merit that I must give three prizes, 
and to the Brooklyn School, two prizes. Then 
again, there were so many good letters — and 
these five only won by so slight a margin or 



330 TJic Wandering Yankee. 

fraction of a margin that it would not be fair 
to print any one letter as a sample of the best. 
Here are the names of the three Montclair 
children: Norman Ward, aged eleven; Margaret 
Boyle, aged twelve; and Bertha Champ, aged 
fourteen years. The two Brooklyn children 
were Chester Grififln and John G. Fangeman. 
They did not give their ages. The writing, 
composition and information given was really 
marvelous for children so young, and it quite 
compensated me the loss of that dinner to see 
how great had been the improvement since the 
dayl had examined those schools. Especially is 
this true of Brooklyn, where the knowledge of 
Canada was not very high. Presto, change. 
While they knew but little then, the letters 
written me show that they have paid me The 
high compliment of studying Canada even to 
the minutia. Montclair, as I have said before 
knew much of this country, but the letters 
show that they now know far more. Yes, I 
am delighted with the letters and will have 
them bound into books, to keep as reminders 
of that tour. 

Geography. 

In that tour I found one great error in the 
use of the geographies. Why, I saw books that 
contained things cut out years ago. They 
were so far behind the times that I was sur- 
prised that men whose business it was to keep 
up with this age, could choose books so old. I 
wrote how the Colonel had advised Parlia- 
ment to get out a geography that would tell 
what Canada has. 

That was in print before I saw the 



The Wandering Yankee. 331 

New Elementary Geography — gotten out by 
F. E. Grafton and Sons, of Montreal. I'm glad 
I saw it in time, as now I can tell Parliament 
that it need not get out a new work, as this 
covers all points in Canada so thoroughly that 
even Parliament couldn't improve on it. It is 
by far the best 1 have seen, and should be in 
every school that wants to really know Canada 
as it is. 

Rube Finds Fault. 

" Rube, now that you have seen much of 
Montreal have you any fault to find with it ?" 

" Colonel, I'm not a fault-finder; but if I 
were, I'd say it was a grievous one to pay so 
small wages as in many instances are paid 
here. Why, I know of girls who have to walk 
— can't afford to ride — two miles, and are paid 
but 11.25 per week, by rich firms — some of 
whom go religiously to church and pray for the 
the poor heathen at a distance, when the ^ poor 
heathen ' is a hundred times better off than 
some of their own employees. It is not right, 
it is downright wicked. I like money, but I 
hope never to love it so much that I cannot be 
fair to my fellow beings." 

" I wonder Rube that some of the good 
papers don't take up such things. They would 
do far more good than to be quarrelling over 
creeds or ' the right way to be good." 

" Yes, Colonel, this is a grave subject. The 
young are often driven to crime by those whose 
money is given to build churches to lessen 
crime. I tell you, Colonel, in that great here- 
after, every dollar ground from the poor will 
have to be paid back with appalling interest. 



332 The Wandering Yankee. 

But I don't dare get on this subject, Colonel. 
I fear I may say too much ; for I do feel deeply 
for those who have to struggle for the pittance 
too often paid them by thoise who live not 
only in comfort, but prodigal extravagance, by 
reason of the money held back from the work- 
er, simply because the necessity of the worker 
compels him to allow it." . 

How to Go to New York. 

One day, shortly after my return from the 
" School trip," the Colonel asked: ''Rube, how 
did 30U go to New York from here?" I was 
so surprised at the simplicity of the question 
that I could only look at the Colonel and 
smile. '' How did I go to New York from 
Montreal ? ' Why ask such a question when 
you know as well as I that the New York 
Central has a line running between the two 
points ?" 

" Well, Rube, you make so many odd and un- 
accountable moves that it's hard to tell how 
you'd get from any one point to another. I 
know as well as you, that it's the only road to 
take when you can get it; but I didn't know 
that you would have thought of it." 

" Thank you for your good opinion; but I 
know the ' ways and means,' as well as the 
other fellow, and he always takes the N.Y.C. 
whenever he wants to get an^- place in proper 
style and comfort. The trip through the Adi- 
rondacks is worth the whole fare. Speaking 
of fare, that's the only objection to the road,. 



TJic Wandering Yankee. 333 

they made me pay. Wouldn't even give me 
preachers' rates." 

" You get preachers' rate's! That's good !" 

I sometimes think the Colonel and I are too 
well acquainted. 

" Rube, did you, as usual, meet a lot of 
celebrities on the way down ?" 

"Well, no, not a lot of them; but several, 
There w^as the genial Mavor of Inverness, out 




JEAN GERAUDY. 

in the Townships. He and his daughter were 
going to New York to take steamer for Europe, 
as the St. Law^rence was not yet open for 
business. Then I met one of Mathews' Celebri- 
ties, Jean Gerardy, who had just been taking 
part in a Montreal concert. You know of him. 
He is one of the greatest of cello players — 
as well as a good fellow to travel with. You 
know^ I always said, the pleasure of travel is 
the people you meet, and to travel as one can 
over this road is the perfection of going." 



334 The Wandering Yankee. 

He Didn't. 

On page 253 I say that Richard A. Waite de- 
signed the new Victoria Bridge. I was given 
the wrong information. It was designed by 
the Engineer of the Grand Trunk Railway 
Company, Mr. Joseph Hobson, the man who 
designed and built the great iron tubular tun- 
nel at Port Huron, wiiicli as a fine piece of en- 
gineering skill was even greater than the 
bridge. This tunnel is over 6,000 feet long, 
and with its approaches, is about three miles 
in length. It is an iron tube, 20 feet in dia- 
meter. The iron work of the bridge was madii 
by the Detroit Bridge and Iron Works. It is 
a pin constructed truss bridge. 

The tourist should not fail to be driven 
across the Victoria Bridge. The view back 
over the City and Mountain is very fine in- 
deed. 

The Mountain. 

The " Mountain " I have often mentioned, 
but have not described. It is a long, oval, 
abrupt at the east and running gradually west 
to the level. It is back from the river some 
over a mile. It is three miles long and about 
two miles wide. Its three highest points are 
GOO, 730 and 739, feet. 

Build a Monument to the Heroes. 

On the " Ottawa River Trip,-' I speak of Ca- 
rillon as being the point at which Dollard 
made the heroic fight against the Indians. 
Since writing that sketch I have had the good 
fortune to get in communication with Father 



Tlic IVanderiiiQ: Yankee 



John C. Bropliy, of St. John Seminary, Brigh- 
ton, Mass. He has made a long study of this 
question, having searched out all the data p^^r- 
taining to it. This search not only covered 
data to be found in Canada, but extended to 
the archives in London, and his conclusions 
put concisely are these : " The reasons which 
convince me that the battle of Bollard Des 
Ormeaux was waged at the place on the Ot- 
tawa River, now called Carillon, may be sum- 
marized as follows : The battle ground (1) was 
one day's journey b}^ canoe from Ste. Anne de 
Bellevue, (2) at the foot of the Rapids, no 
portage having been made, (3) at the rendez- 
vous of the Iroquois, naturally after the last 
rapids had been run. These details fit Carillon 
and Carillon only. The exact spot where the 
old fort stood, cannot be determined at pre- 
sent. I hope to discover among the first maps 
made of the river, this spot. The main point 
to determine, however, was the place, and I 
am fully convinced that Carillon is where was 
fought the battle that saved Yille Marie." 

Again I urge, children of Canada build for 
this youth a monument. Already the children 
of my own country say they too want to help 
to build it. All who love heroism may help. 



336 



TJic JVandcring Yankee. 



IRube'5 artists 




When tlie ^'giiis" wej'C liere, ^liss Cincinnati 
ask€^d one da^^ : '' Mr. Rnben, who is going to 
illustrate your book?" 

"Ask, rather, who isn't!" 

" Why are there so man^^ artists ?" Then I 
told her of the A'arious ones who were at work 
on it : 

Mr. Henri Julien. 

" There's Henri Jnli' n , one of the best black 
and white artists in the country, and by the 
way, a man whose life story would till a book. 



The Wandcriiio- Yankee. 



He was born in Paris, came to America when a 
child, In 1866, he was in the Fenian Raid; in 
1870, or thereabouts, was one of the Mounted 
Police who brought under subjection the In- 




HEXKI JULIEX. 



(Dy A. G. Rucey.) 



dians of the North-West. In 1885, he was in 
the Riel Rebellion, ostensibly as an artist, but 
did his part in putting it down. He knew 
Riel well, even before that time. His wonder- 



338 The Wandering Yankee. 

f ul riding, wliicli he learned on the plains, made 
of him a fast friend of William Cody 
C' Buffalo Bill"). He has always taken an 
interest in military affairs, and is a life mem- 
ber of the noted De Salaberry Guards. He is 
the champion barbott fisher of Canada, and 
friend of the celebrated author and fisher, 
E. T. D. Chambers, of Quebec. He is, moi'e- 
over, a violinist of much ability, and an actor 
as well as artist. It is his artistic worth, 
however, that has gained for him his fame. 
He has been offered a fabulous salary to go to 
New York, also an offer from Australia; but 
he loves Canada too well to be tempted. I 
might go on and tell how that he refused a 
nomination for member of Parliament and 
many other honors; but he is modest and may 
not want me to tell you too much !" 

" Well, he certainly is a versatile genius," 
said Miss Francisco. 

Mr. A. G. Racey. 

" Next, Mr. A. G. Racey, who—" " Illustrat- 
ed '■ The Yankee in Quebec ' for you," broke in 
Miss Cincinnati — " And," added Miss New 
York, " has made both sides of the sea laugh 
over his ' Englishman In Canada,' which, by 
the way, has done more toward taking out of 
the minds of the world the notion of ' CoLl 
Canada,' than anything ever printed. 

" Some one sent me a copy of those cartoons, 
and I don't know why, but it changed my 
whole notion of this country. If the Gov- 
ernment should send out a million copies of 
those cartoons it would do more good than all 



The Wandering Yankee. 339 

the prosy volumes they could print. People 
think of Canada as cold and bleak— those car- 




A. G. EACEY. 



(By II. G. Mathews.) 



toons would laugh away that thought and the 
world would soon think of Canada as we find 
it_a country full of resource, and enjoyable 

beauty." 

Mr. R. G. Mathews. 

" Then there's R. G. Mathews, one of the 
coming artists of Canada. He is probably one 
of the best in his line— and his line is in 
' Celebrities,' He has characteristically pic- 



340 



The Wandering Yankee. 



tured more noted actors and musicians than 
any artist in Montreal. His forthcoming book 
of ^Celebrities' is awaited with much interest. I 
predict that the time will come when ' R.G.M.' 
on a picture will ensure that i^icture beiog 




H. G. MATHEWS. 



(By H. Julien.) 



hung among the choice collections of this 
country." 

'' Mr. Ruben, you surprise me," said Miss 
Philadelphia. " You are continually telling us 
about artists, singers and men of worth in 
many lines. Why, Canada isn't at all what I 



The Wandering Yankee. 



!41 



tlioiight it was. It is different in every way! 
Are any more of your artists Canadians ?" 

Mr. John Hugh Ross. 

" ' More,' ? wli3', if my book proves of worth, 
T must thank John Hugh Ross for it, and he is 
another Canadian." 

" How odd !'' said Miss New York. ''Do you 
know that we have a John Hugh Ross. He is 
the artist who made ' The Wild Flowers of 




JOHN HUGH ROSS. 

America,' the finest work ever done in any 
country in that line." " Yes," said all the girls, 
" That is the most perfect book of flowers !" 

'^ Well, ladies," said I, '' it's too bad to take 
away from ' us,' this artist of whom you are 
so proud; but I. must do it. John Hugh Ross, 
the man who did that great work, is not a 
Yankee, but a Montreal man, and the one who 
has so greatly helped me in making my maps 
and pointing out to me what is really worth 
seeino- in this citv." 



The Wandcrins: Yankee. 



" Oh, that can't be — eA^erybody at home 
thinks he is one of our artists." 

" ' Everybody at home' must at once lose 
liim, for he is a Canadian." But they could 
hardly be convenced — as they had long thought 
of him as '' ours." 

" Do 3^ou remember, ladies, the book that we 
saw at the Chateau de Eamezay, showing the 
pictures of the old residences and buildings of 
Montreal ? Well, that was the work of this 
same artist. In that work he has saved for 
time the ' old ' of Montreal, which would have 
been lost but for him. The accuracy of this 
man is marvelous. His home, at 613 Cadieax 
street, is a very museum of valuable data. I 
never wanted for a rare bit of information, but 
he could find it for me. He is a designer as 
well as an artist. Here is the key to the back 
ground of the picture for 



Titled Montreal, 

which he designed. It is an illustrated story 
without words. At the top you see Lord 
Strathcona and Lord Mount Stephen. To the 
left of the latter is Mount Stephen, a peak in 
the Kocky Mountains, named for him. To the 
right of Lord Strathcona, is Mount Donald, 
named for him. Between the two is the Koyal 
Victoria Hospital, the gift of the two. Be- 
neath is seen Mount Eoyal, which is part of 
the title chosen by Sir Donald A. Smith, when 
he was made a peer — ' Strathcona and Mount 
Ro3^al' — cut into the mountain, is old Fort 
Garry, at Winnipeg, with which Lord Strath- 
cona was so Ions; connected. 



The Wandering Yankee. 



343 




^^^^ 



/(fy TO TITLED MONTREffU 



344 The Wandering Yankee. 

" Sir Tait and Sir Lacoste are of the Law — 
beneatli them is the seat of law in the Do- 
minion — the Parliament Building at Otta^va. 
Sir Wm. Kingston has long been connected 
with the great Hotel Dieu Hospital — see that 
building beneath his picture. Sir Van Home 
and Sir Shaughnessy are at the head of the 
railway's of Canada — to the left of the former 
is seen Windsor Station — to the right of the 
latter is Place Viger Station, and beneath the 
two is the great bridge at Lachine. Typical 
throughout. Here is another specimen of his 
versatility. A party of us went out on a fish- 
ing and camping excursion. The first night 
out we camped on a stream, and fish was not 
everything we found in that locality. The 
man from Jersey said it made him think of his 
dear old home. We sang songs till late in the 
night. We sang the Canadian Boat Song. 
The next morning the man from Jersey said he 
had dreamed that song all night long, had 
dreamed, not so much the words, but the notes. 
W^hen I asked Ross to illustrate that dream he 
gave me this, and the man from Jersey said, 
'Ah, how true to life!' Yes, ladies, we would 
ji^ladly claim so versatile a genius." 

" The great popularity of ' The Wild Flowers 
of America ' may be known when I tell you 
that as many as ten million sets were sold.'- 

Mr. G-eorge M. Leonard. 

" Have you no Yankees at all on your list ?" 
asked ^liss Baltimore. 

" One, onl}', and he is a native of your city, 
George M. Leonard." 



The Wandering Yankee. 



345 



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346 



The Wandering Yankee. 



" That's another familiar name/' said Miss 
New York, " but I won't claim him, lest you 
say he, too, is a Canadian. There was one of 
that name on the New York Press. I used often 
to see his pictures, and quite enjoyed his origi- 
nality." 

" This time you are right. He is the same 
artist 3'ou remember as on the Press." 




GEOKGE M. LEONARD. 



" Where is he now^; come up to Canada ?" 

" No, he is in Hackensack.'^ 

" Hackensack what ?" (Miss Iowa asked 
this, the rest all knew.) 

" Why, the only. There is but one Hacken- 
sack, in all the world, and it is in New Jersey, 
and there young Leonard has his studio. He 
is not only an illustrator, but does good work 
in oil and water colors." 



The Wandering Yankee. 



347 



Mr. James FitzMaurice. 

" Mr. Kuben," asked Miss Chicago, '^ wlio is 
the ' Fitz ' you are always giving us ?" She 
somehow ran to slang — regardless! 

" He is a clever young English artist, who 
has been in the far West for a number of years 
— Jas. FitzMaurice, is his full name; but he has 
earned the right to be called ' Fitz,' by which 
he is known from here to Vancouver. He is 
like Julien in that the wild life of the prairie 




JAMES FITZMAURICE. 



has for him a great fascination. He came to 
Canada through Lord Aberdeen, and for a long 
time lived and roughed it on his (Aberdeen's) 
ranch in British Columbia. To hear him tell 
of the charm of ranch life is almost enough to 
make one throw aside pencil and go away 
and break (or get broken) the wild broncho. I 
found him by accident, and soon learned his 
ability as a ready sketcher. When you see his 
work you will get to know of some of the trips 
you failed to take." 



348 The Wandering Yankee. 

" How does he sketch ?" asked Miss New Or- 
leans, who had made great, but fruitless effort, 
to carry away Canada in her sketch book. 
" We go out on a trip, I see what I want and 
say: ' Fitz, I want that' — and next day he gives 
it to me — so much like what I saw that I can in- 
stantly recognize the place or person — and 
that, too, from memory only. He seldom 
takes a note, — carries it all in memory — oh, I 
tell you, Fitz is clever.'' 

" He must be !" replied the wanted-to-be- 
artist, '^ Why, I can't even now tell what I've 
sketched. Can't tell whether it's a Canadian 
habitant or one of our levee darkies I was try- 
ing to draw; and yet I was looking at the ob- 
jects in point all the while. A whole book full 
of things and people that might be taken for 
anything in the world but for the things I was 
looking at." 

" No use to try. Miss, unless one have talent 
— then one don't have to try, it's natural — and 
when one is natural then one is a genius. Fitz 
don't have to try." 

" Fitz has recently been added to the staff of 
The Moon" — '' Oh, girls, how nice, he's going to 
be the ' Man in the Moon ' " — and Miss Iowa 
seemed real happy because she said that ' Fitz' 
seemed ' one of us,' 'Cause he's western,' — 
I had to tell her that this particular Moon 
wasn't the other Moon. This one is that great 
satirical weekly that is bound to make a regu- 
lar Life success here in Canada. It's a new 
Moon, but a very full Moon — full of just what 
Canada has long needed in a weekly. You 
may know how wise is the management from 



The Wandering Yankee. 349 

the fact that already it has taken two of my 
artists, Racey and Fitz Maurice." 

The " girls," seemed delighted witli the pros- 
pect of seeing the work of ^' Mr. Ruben's 
artists." I wonder what they will say of Mr. 
Ruben's opinion on what they knew of the 
"history, geography and ice " of Canada. To 
be real fair to them, however, I will say that 
by the time they left the Dominion, they knew 
far more than when they came. There is noth- 
ing that will so quickly and materially 
change wrong notions as travel, and few coun- 
tries there be about which more change of 
notions is needed than Canada. So, dear 
" girls" of all the schools of the United States, 
come to Canada — and get your wrong notions 
righted. To be convinced that you will enjoy 
the " righting," you need but to read of the fun 
had by the " Doctor's Ten," while seeing a 
part of it with 

THE WANDERING YANKEE. 






THERE ARE OTHERS. 






If, dear reader, you have found any pleasure in my -wanderings, I 
would be delighted to have you go with the Colonel and me on 
those happy go lucky trips we took in and about Quebec, of which 
I have told in " The Yankee in Quebec," Some of the great men 
of the world have said they were pleased with my story of the Old 
Ca])itnl. Eoosevelt, Lord Dufferin, Lord Strathcona, Senator 
Proctor and many others have written personal letters of com- 
mendation, while the Prince and Princess of Wales, through Sir 
Arthur Bigge, have kindly mentioned the book, and the pleasure it 
gave them. 

And, while speaking of books, " My Friend Bill," has been com- 
mended almost extravagantly. One" magazine (' The Book World') 
^aid of it : — " It is as pure in tone as Holmes' Breakfast Table 
Series, and as tender as the choicest i)arts of Charles Dickens' 
writings. It is the best book of light fiction we have ever read." 

Wm. Jennings Bryan, in the " Commoner," says : " My Friend 
Bill " is a great story with a purpose." 

An editor of a great daily, speaking of it, said : " There is a vein 
of genuine humor running through the book, and with all it is so 
full of sweet homely touches that we feel it should be in the hands 
of every young man in the land. It would be to them an inspira- 
tion. I he book is so fascinating, jt is hard to lay it aside when 
once it is begun. A child could enjoy it — while a member of our 
family, eighty-four years old, has already read it twice through. 
We would feel that we had done the world a favor if we could say 
that Avhich would make readers for ' My Friend Bill.' " 

But what to me is more pleasing than the letters of the great, 
are the ones written me by those Avhose lot in life has not been 
so rosy. To have them write : " Your story has made my life hap- 
pier," is far sweeter than high commendation of it, as a literary 
production. 

Should you not be able to find " The Yankee in Quebec " or " My 
Friend Bill " at your booksellers, they may be had from the Emer- 
son Press, of 120 Liberty street, New York, and 132 Peel street, 
jMontreal. 

" The Yankee in Quebec," 262 pages, illustrated : by mail, paper 
bound, 55 cents; cloth, 80 cents. 

"My Friend Bill," 340 pages, illustrated : by mail, in cloth, $1.10 



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